Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities Acts of Civic

Home , New York State Museum

Cross Ties, Spring 2008/Vol. 3, No. 1, Acts of Civic Engagement Civic of Acts 1, 2008/Vol.No. Spring Ties,3, Cross Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities Rutgers University-Camden

Volume 3, No. 1 Spring 2008

Acts of Civic Engagement: Confronting the History of 1960s Racial Disturbances Image donated to New Jersey Historical Society by Corbis-Bettmann by Society Historical Jersey New to donated Image While a pivotal time in Newark’s history, Have we been successful? By visitor the 1967 riot/rebellion has received little accounts, What’s Going On? Newark scholarly attention and has seldom been and the Legacy of the Sixties successfully examined within the context of the times. chronicles what happened in July 1967 and It has remained much misunderstood and why it happened. It is also catalyzing local continues to evoke passion and pain among citizens to both explore the Newark of today Newark residents and their neighbors. The and consider what we can do, as individuals, creators of What’s Going On? thus felt that to insure a better Newark of the future. More the exhibit and related programs, above all continued on page 2

July 17, 1967: Soldiers patrol a deserted else, had to be of service to the public. We Springfield Avenue in Newark, New Jersey wanted to create a space for civil discourse and open up opportunities for diverse points e present a double feature in this In This Issue of view to be expressed and respected. We issue of Cross Ties, focusing on W wanted visitors to interrogate their memories Acts of Civic Engagement: Confronting the the efforts of The New Jersey of the riot/rebellion and use those memories to History of 1960s Racial Disturbances Historical Society and the University of examine the Newark of today and imagine a 1 Baltimore to engage the public in a thoughtful better Newark for tomorrow. And we wanted consideration of the race riots that rocked 2008 Fredric M. Miller Memorial Lecture to do this in a way that would not be so Newark in 1967 and Baltimore in 1968. 2 overpowering or offensive that visitors Projects to Watch would stay away. What’s Going On? Newark and the 3 Legacy of the Sixties We approached this goal in several ways. Exploring the Mid@lantic “What a wonderful time it was.” So said a In addition to stating the facts of “what 3 recent visitor to The New Jersey Historical happened” during those five days in 1967, Featured Resource: Society’s exhibit, What’s Going On? Newark the exhibit places those events in national Distance Learning at the Bronx Zoo and the Legacy of the Sixties, which examines context and represents different perspectives 4 the 1967 Newark riot/rebellion. How could on them, reflective of the diverse racial and this era of civil discord be called “a wonderful ethnic groups that populated Newark at MARCH Happenings time”? The visitor explained that he did not the time and in the present. This last was 4 think it was wonderful living through the accomplished by placing selected quotations Regional Roundup chaos, anger, and fear catalyzed by the riot, from the nearly one hundred oral history 5 but the exhibit, he said, placed him right back interviews conducted in conjunction with Going to the Well in 1967 – the days, weeks, and months before What’s Going On? throughout the exhibit 6 the riot, when the world was changing, when on flat screens, ipods, and listening stations. the status quo was being challenged on all Equally important, we helped to constitute Famous Last Words: fronts, when we, as a society, began to look at and then worked with a committee of leaders D. Stephen Elliott how we lived and loved and demanded more of Newark’s cultural, educational, social 7 -- more accountability, more understanding, service, and political organizations to plan more brotherhood, more care for the socially additional events commemorating the riots, disenfranchised. thereby opening up multiple venues for reflection and the exchange of ideas. www.march.rutgers.edu Cross Ties Newsletter/ Spring 2008

Acts of Civic Engaement, continued from page 1 2008 FREDRIC M. MILLER long term, What’s Going On? is challenging MEMORIAL LECTURE The New Jersey Historical Society to refocus its programmatic mission in ways that use MarcyDubroff David New Jersey stories to critically explore Schuyler, the broader topics in American history, foster Three days of scholarship, art, Arthur and dialogue within our community, expand history, and civic dialogue Katherine our understanding of diverse pasts, and April 3 – 5, 2008 Shadek encourage engagement in a shared future. University of Baltimore Professor of Linda Epps is President and CEO of The New Jersey the Humanities Historical Society. What’s Going On? will be on view For further information and to at the Society through fall 2008. and Professor register for the conference, go to of American www.ubalt.edu/baltimore68 Studies at Baltimore ’68: Riots and Rebirth Franklin & In the wake of the assassination of Dr. Martin would allow us to construct knowledge and David Schuyler Marshall Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968, civil collaborate with a broad range of people and College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, disturbances rocked Baltimore and 140 other organizations. The outcomes so far have will deliver the tenth annual Fredric cities around the country. Despite the riot’s been varied and unpredictable. Hundreds of Miller Memorial Lecture Thursday importance to our city’s past, present, and students have conducted original research, April 17th at Rutgers University in future, there has been little effort to document collected oral histories with dozens of Camden, New Jersey. The co-editor or interpret it. In the fall of 2005 faculty community members, and compiled a of three volumes of The Frederick and staff at the University of Baltimore (UB) commemorative calendar. We have created Law Olmsted Papers, including most came together to brainstorm whether and how a driving tour of the commercial districts recently The Years of Olmsted, Vaux & we should commemorate the events of April affected by the riots. Much of this material Company, 1865-1874 (1992), Schuyler 1968. As the institution of higher education is publicly available via the Baltimore will assess the creation of New York in Maryland with a student body that most ’68 website. A strong arts component City’s Central Park and its legacy on accurately mirrors the state’s demographics includes the development of a dramatic the occasion of the 150th anniversary and with the motto “Knowledge That Works,” presentation based upon the oral histories of the adoption of the Olmsted and UB was well positioned for this work. In and a meditation garden on campus. We are Vaux greensward plan of 1858. addition, we could build upon a tradition of planning a public conference April 3—5, for innovative public history work, including the which we anticipate a large audience. Schuyler is also the author of a Baltimore Neighborhood Heritage Project number of books in urban and in the 1980s, two successful Baltimore The public dimension of our work has been planning history, including A City history conferences in the 1990s, and an strengthened by several partnerships, including Transformed: Redevelopment, Race, impressive agenda to collect archival records with the Maryland Humanities Council; and Suburbanization in Lancaster, documenting modern Baltimore. WYPR, Baltimore’s National Public Radio Pennsylvania, 1940-1980 (2002); affiliate; the Annie E. Casey Foundation; and Apostle of Taste: Andrew Jackson At the outset, we had to confront fundamental three Baltimore City high schools. Our efforts Downing 1815-1852 (1996); questions about public humanities programs: will continue after April through a series of and The New Urban Landscape: How can cultural and educational organizations community dialogues in collaboration with the The Redefinition of City Form in mark anniversaries of controversial and difficult Central Maryland YMCA. Nineteenth-Century America (1986). – if significant – historical events? What He is co-editor of From Garden City effect might our efforts have on the broader It was not inevitable that UB would expend to Green City: The Legacy of Ebenezer community? How can we engage with this resources to wrestle with our community’s Howard (2002). community in positive ways? difficult past. Yet we believe it is increasingly important for urban universities The lecture will begin at 5:00 P.M. While still a work-in-progress, the efforts to with a public mission such as UB to serve in Penn 401 on the Rutgers Camden date of what has become the Baltimore ’68: as catalysts for community examination of campus. A reception will follow. Email Riots and Rebirth project suggests how we risky subjects like the legacy of civil unrest Howard Gillette at [email protected]. are addressing these questions. and protest. Even a city still in pain may be edu for reservations and directions. willing to find catharsis when people of good Early on, our steering committee committed will provide the vehicle and space. to an inclusive, representative approach to understanding the riots, with the goal of Jessica I. Elfenbein is Professor of History and Associate Provost for University Engagement at the University of making our process public and our findings Baltimore and heads the Baltimore’68 project. easily available to a broad audience. This Elizabeth M. Nix is Visiting Assistant Professor of scholarly community-building effort, we felt, History at the university and a member of the project steering committee.●✕ www.march.rutgers.edu Cross Ties Newsletter/ Spring 2008

PROJECTS TO WATCH EXPLORING THE Library of Congressof Library MID@LANTIC Outstanding websites are available for both the New Jersey Historical Commission’s What’s Going On? Newark and the Legacy of the Sixties exhibition and the University of Baltimore’s Brooklyn Bridge, ca. 1900 Baltimore’68: Riots and Rebirth project. In New Jersey, supporters have announced With support from the Institute of Museum plans to open a museum commemorating and Library Services (IMLS), the M.A. http://www.67riots.rutgers.edu/ This website presents information about the the history of the John A. Roebling’s Sons Museum Professions Program at Seton Hall Newark and Detroit riots of 1967, including Company in 2009. Located on the site University in South Orange, New Jersey, is interpretive essays and maps, a list of victims, of the company’s manufacturing complex launching the Institute of Museum Ethics, video clips of oral history interviews, and near Trenton, the museum will occupy aimed at helping museum professionals bibliographies. Viewers can also record their the 8,000 square foot Main Gate building create more transparent, accountable, and own memories of events. and feature models and photographs of socially responsible institutions. Under www.ubalt.edu/baltimore68 Roebling-made bridges as well as examples development are a national conference This site includes a timeline of the Baltimore of the different gauged wires made at the scheduled for November 15, 2008; two new ’68 riot, a driving tour of the riot-affected area, transcripts of oral history interviews, plant. Development has been aided by the courses on museum ethics in the Museum reports and documents related to the riot, and Environmental Protection Agency, which Professions Program; workshops to help a retrospective calendar for 1968 with links to rehabilitated the Main Gate building and faculty infuse ethics across the museum primary documents for the period. seven-acre mill yard at a cost of $6 million. studies curriculum; and a Web portal with http://www.nj.com/newark1967/ John A. Roebling is known especially for tools that will assist museum professionals Sponsored by New Jersey newspapers, this his construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, incorporate ethics into ongoing operations. document-rich site includes interpretive which celebrates its 125th anniversary May essays, feature articles, personal recollections, 24, 2008. For further information, visit: Also with support from IMLS, the primary documents and other materials related to the 1967 Newark riot. http://www.roeblingmuseum.org/. Rochester Institute of Technology’s Image

Nature. Artist: Ansell Bray Nature.Ansell Artist: and Humans for Center Courtesy Permanence Institute (IPI) will investigate At http://blog.nj.com/ledgernewark/2007/ Seeking to build a civic a Web-based system for environmental risk 07/a_qa_with_kevin_mumford.html culture that respects and analysis called WebERA. Using a pilot is an interview with Kevin Mumford, author conserves the ecological group of ten museums and five libraries, this of the well received Newark: A History of and cultural heritage project will demonstrate a tool that allows Race, Rights and Riots in America (2007). Center for Humans and Nature Logo, depicting of the Hudson River museum and library environments to be Martin Luther King, Jr., his life, work, and death, 19th century Makah is the subject of these sites: Indian (Washington Valley, the Center for evaluated and monitored through Internet State) grouse rattle Humans and Nature connections. Conceived in response to a www.kinginstitute.info based in New York City has launched key finding of the Heritage Health Index, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and a program of regional forums that will the project is based on the premise that Education Institute culminate in 2009 with an area summit and environmental risks can be managed and Located at Stanford University and the home of the King Papers Project, this content- white paper. Forming a partnership with mitigated if they are identified, quantified, rich website includes primary sources, a the New-York Historical Society and the and then communicated to museum bibliography on King and the Civil Rights American Museum of Natural History as leadership and facilities managers. For Movement with links to some secondary well as an environmental consortium of further information about this and other sources, a very useful King Encyclopedia, some forty colleges and universities, the IPI research programs, go to: http://www. and several lesson plans. program has been conceived by Strachan imagepermanenceinstitute.org/ http://www.museum.tv/exhibitionssection. Donnelley, the Center’s president and php?page=92 former president of the Hastings Center, The American Revolution Center (ARC), a The Museum of Broadcast Communications This links to a description of news coverage a bioethics organization in Garrison, New nonprofit corporation with a large collection of colonial-era artifacts, came one step of King’s death and includes video of CBS York. Donnelley’s intention is “to consider News’s 14 minute Special Report on the night closer to developing a museum dedicated human and natural interactions with the of his death; the site also includes numerous aim of building up the region’s biological to the story of the American Revolution radio and television programs related to the and cultural diversity.” For further details, when it purchased seventy-five acres in civil rights movement. continued on page 4 go to: http://www.humansandnature. Montgomery County from the Catholic org/projects/ongoing_projects/ Archdiocese of Philadelphia last September. groups concerned about environmental hudson_river_watershed_shared_ Located adjacent to Valley Forge National impact. ARC traces its roots to the Valley landscapes_and_civic_responsibilities/ Historical Park, the site, which will also Forge Historical Society, founded in 1903 include a conference center and hotel, by Rev. Dr. W. Herbert Buck, a collector of has aroused opposition from conservation Washington memorabilia. ●✕ Cross Ties Newsletter/ Spring 2008

FEATURED RESOURCE Distance Learning at the Bronx Zoo Suzanne Bolduc © WCS © Bolduc Suzanne

Distance Learning Expeditions, a program of In 2007, the zoo delivered more than 330 the Bronx Zoo in New York City, uses new programs, reaching almost ten thousand technologies to deliver creative educational students and teachers, most of whom are programs in new ways, thereby expanding not likely to visit the Bronx Zoo in person. Erica Sopha, Distance Learning Expeditions coordinator, shows students a hedgehog via videoconference. the zoo’s reach and circumventing problems Erica Sopha, program coordinator, notes that of limited resources within schools. Through programs allow students to observe animals programs. They ooohhh and ahhh throughout, the medium of two-way videoconferencing, in ways that are generally not possible even giggle and bounce in their seats.” the Expeditions program brings live animals if they were physically present. For example, into K-12 classrooms around the United States she explains, “A camera allows me to show Programs are highly interactive, thus aligning and Mexico in a presentations ranging from students the underside of a hedgehog when it’s the benefits of technology with modern an exploration of the role of color in animal curled into a ball. The students can see the little pedagogy. They run from forty-five to sixty survival for primary grades; to the peculiar wet hedgehog nose sticking out from under minutes during regular school hours, include adaptations of land animals’ feet for middle hundreds of sharp quills. The hedgehog sniffs, teacher support material, and conform to schoolers. Through the use of remote live- thinks about making an appearance, opens just National Science Education Standards. For cams, older students can observe gorillas a little, thinks better of it, and tightens back into further information, including cost, technical in the zoo’s Congo Gorilla Forest exhibit a ball. This is an unlikely sighting even during requirements, and contact and registration as a starting point for discussion about the a live personal zoo visit.” Most importantly information, go to http://bronxzoo.com/bz- predicament of this threatened species and through, “Students feel excited during the education/distance and click on the link to critical issues in conservation. Distance Learning Expeditions. ●✕

Exploring the Mid@lantic, continued from page 3 MARCH HAPPENINGS Numerous websites provide information and resources on the Civil Rights Movement. The Andrew Mellon Foundation has awarded programming in Bethlehem in the period These are just a sample: MARCH $25,000 to spark fresh research leading up to the opening of the Sands Casino From Edsitement: The Best of the Humanities in American industrial history. Building on in 2009. The proposal builds upon the initial on the Web, the National Endowment for the MARCH’s four-year engagement with the interpretive planning process supported Humanities’ gateway to peer reviewed websites: Bethlehem Steel site, the Mellon project will by NEH last year. The request is pending; http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_ bring an interdisciplinary group of scholars notification of awards is in September. plan.asp?id=730: to Rutgers-Camden for a two-day workshop “Competing Voices of the Civil Rights this June. Workshop participants will In February, MARCH organized a meeting Movement,” with links to numerous other sites of regional journal editors at the Historical seek to articulate a bold and wide-ranging http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_ Society of Pennsylvania. Drawing research agenda for industrial history, one plan.asp?id=266 that will integrate social, cultural, political, representatives from each of the six Mid- “Let Freedom Ring: The Life & Legacy of technological, environmental, and global Atlantic states, the meeting addressed Martin Luther King, Jr.” mutual concerns of subscribers and questions and outline a framework for http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_ understanding the twentieth century through membership as part of a larger assessment of plan.asp?id=326 its hallmark industrial development. Given the what historical societies are doing to assure “Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Power of pervasive importance of industrialization to sustainability. The meeting was supported Nonviolence” the Mid-Atlantic region, MARCH is pleased with funds from the 1772 Foundation. http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ at the chance to stimulate this new research Linda Shopes, recently retired from the civilrights/home.html effort. The project precisely expresses Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Library of Congress “Civil Rights Resource MARCH’s mission to bridge the humanities Commission and now working as an Guide” in the academy and in public practice, as we independent historian, is serving as Acting A compilation of links to the remarkably rich civil rights resources throughout the Library anticipate consequences from this workshop Editor of this and the next issue of Cross both for scholarship and interpretation. of Congress, as well as to external sites and Ties, as Sharon Ann Holt devotes time to bibliography. MARCH’s expanding programs and her own MARCH has also submitted a proposal to the http://www.crmvet.org/ ●✕ National Endowment for the Humanities for research and writing. Civil Rights Movement Veterans an implementation grant to support public An eclectic site with material by and about Civil Rights Movement veterans. ●✕

www.march.rutgers.edu Cross Ties Newsletter/ Spring 2008

regional roundup

Catherine Gilbert has assumed the she will assume oversight responsibility Robert Weible has been named State position of director of the Upstate History for the President’s House memorial at Historian and Chief Curator at the Alliance in Oneonta, New York, replacing 6th and Market Streets. New York State Museum in Albany. A MARCH advisory board member Linda past president of the National Council on © PresidentLincoln’s© Cottage Norris. Gilbert brings to her new position Public History and consultant to MARCH’s experience as coordinator of outreach at planning process in Bethlehem in 2007, the Miami, Florida Children’s Museum, Weible assumes the position after serving manager of statewide programs for the as the Director of Public History at the New York State Historical Association, State Museum of Pennsylvania. and visitor services manager at Old South Meeting House in Boston. The Upstate The New Castle, Delaware Court History Alliance provides support and House Museum, among the oldest training to cultural institutions in courthouses in the United States, reopened Upstate New York. to the public last September, after a year-long $2.5 million restoration. Built President Lincoln’s Cottage, South Façade Linda Donovan Harper is the new in 1732 and recognized as a National director of Cultural Tourism DC, a President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Historic Landmark, the building served coalition of 185 arts, heritage, cultural, Soldiers’ Home, located on the grounds as Delaware’s first courthouse and state and community organizations working to of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in capitol. It houses both permanent and enhance the economic impact of cultural northwest Washington, D.C., opened to temporary exhibits related to the building, tourism in D.C.’s urban neighborhoods. the public on February 18th—President’s events that occurred there, and broader Harper brings deep background in historic Day—after a $15 million, seven-year themes in Delaware history.

preservation to this position: she has restoration. Designated a National Center Scholarship Digital University Lehigh of Courtesy worked with the National Main Street Monument by President Clinton in 2000, Center of the National Trust for Historic the 34-room Gothic Revival house served Preservation and served as principal of L. as Lincoln’s family residence from June Harper & Associates, a consulting firm to November, 1862 – 1864. The Robert assisting nonprofits with organizational H. Smith Visitor Education Center at management and community development. President Lincoln’s Cottage, located in

National Park Service Park National a restored 1905 Beaux Arts building Cynthia adjacent to the Cottage, presents both MacLeod, an Marchers in Sixth Ward Roll of Honor parade celebrating permanent and temporary Lincoln- and neighborhood residents fighting in World War II, Allentown, Pa., 1944. architectural D.C.-related exhibitions. It is the first historian and building at a National Trust for Historic Lehigh University has launched Beyond since 1990 the Preservation site to receive Leadership in Steel: An Archive of Lehigh Valley superintendent Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Industry and Culture, available at of the Richmond Certification from the U.S. Green Building http://digital.lib.lehigh.edu/beyondsteel/. National Council. For more information, see www. Developed in collaboration with area Battlefield Park lincolncottage.org. historical and cultural organizations, with and Maggie L. funding from the federal Library Services Walker National The Smithsonian Institution’s National and Technology Act and the Pennsylvania Cynthia MacLeod Historic Site in Museum of African American History Historical and Museum Commission, Virginia, has been named superintendent and Culture has established its Museum on this on-line resource includes an at Independence National Historical Park. the Web at http://nmaahc.si.edu as a virtual ever-expanding collection of primary She replaces Dennis Ridenbach, who precursor to the museum under development documents, as well as contextual essays, was named head of the Park Service’s on the Mall in Washington, D.C. Memories detailing life and work in the Lehigh Northeast Region in September. McLeod of ordinary African Americans, collected Valley in the 19th and 20th centuries. is familiar with Philadelphia from earlier as text, images, and audio uploads in an work managing the city’s tax-incentive interactive Memory Book, are the centerpiece Lisa Acker Moulder has been named programs for historic rehabilitation projects of the site. It was developed with the Executive Director of the Betsy Ross and conducting architectural surveys. As financial and technical support of IBM. House in Philadelphia, where she had superintendent at Independence Park, served as collections manager since 2000. continued on page 6

Cross Ties Newsletter/ Spring 2008 FAIC,Goist David by Photographed

Regional Roundup, continued from page 5 Photographed by Dan Ingram Dan by Photographed Richard Burkert, Executive Director GOING TO THE WELL of the Johnstown (Pennsylvania) 21st Century Museum Century Museum Area Heritage Professionals The Foundation of the American Institute Professionals Grants program for Conservation of Historic and Art Association Works received a 21MP grant to train (21MP) to help museum professionals in post-disaster (JAHA), is the What is a museum professional? The build critical damage control. Shown here are program recipient of the question has been debated since the participants at a training workshop at skills within the Seattle Art Museum Mid-Atlantic beginnings of the profession in the Richard Burkert the field. The 21MP program is designed to Association nineteenth century and continues to support projects that increase the capacity of of Museums’ 2007 Coffey Award. generate a lively conversation as the museums to connect people to information Burkert was recognized for the quality field confronts increased expectations for and ideas by improving staff knowledge and of programs developed at JAHA under relevance to the communities museums abilities in the range of museum operations. his leadership, for his contributions to serve. In the twenty-first century, museum community development in Johnstown, professionals must have the skills to The program seeks proposals that meet the and for his service to the museum field, respond effectively to diverse audiences needs of targeted audiences of museum including founding the Pennsylvania with diverse needs, higher audience professionals in a city, county, state, region, Coalition of Independent Museums, a expectations, expanding technologies, and or the entire nation. For this program, lobbying group for museums and historical demands for greater access to collections. museum professionals may include paid organizations The Coffey Award is among Evolving standards for collections care, and unpaid museum staff and practicing the most prestigious in the museum field. educational programming, and information and future professionals. Eligible applicants Congratulations, Richard! management require staff with flexible for the 21MP Grants include individual Kudos also to the following Mid-Atlantic skill sets. Administrators and governing museums, colleges and universities, and organizations, which were presented with boards must respond to growing public organizations that engage in activities Awards of Merit from the American scrutiny, requiring robust management designed to advance the well-being of Association for State and Local History and leadership abilities that will foster museums and the museum profession. at the association’s annual meeting last fall: sustainable institutions. Successful proposals must impact museum professionals in multiple institutions. Not coincidentally, the profession has Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary, for the Awards range from $15,000 to $500,000 evolved as the field has come to encompass exhibit, Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a for projects of one to three years duration. Better World more than the traditional art, history, and natural history museums. The very So far, IMLS has funded twenty-three Brandywine Battlefield, Chadds Ford, definition of museums, as adopted by the grants supporting projects that involve Pennsylvania, for the annual program, American Association of Museums and the classes, workshops, publications, Remember the Ladies Institute of Museum and Library Services technology, and other tools to enhance (IMLS), includes zoos and aquariums, skills and abilities in areas as diverse Jewish Historical Society of Maryland, botanical gardens, historic sites, nature as educational programming in zoos, for excellence in exhibits, publications, and centers, planetariums, and science centers. pest control management, historic house public programming The size and scope of museums range interpretation, community partnerships Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh, for the from mega-museums with multi-million in exhibit development, collections exhibit, Soul Soldiers: African Americans dollar budgets to all volunteer and single conservation, internship programs, trustee and the Vietnam Era staff historic houses. Furthermore, the training, dialogue facilitation, family application of job titles is not always learning, and museum ethics. All of Lewes, Delaware Historical Society, for consistent. The work of a “curator,” these projects will meet critical needs the Lewes and Delaware 375th Anniversary for example, may focus on a specific of museum professionals as they seek Celebration collections discipline in a large museum or to better serve the communities of the on the entire management and operation of twenty-first century. New Jersey Historical Commission, for a small institution. To further complicate ●✕ excellence in programming and outreach the picture, there is no single pathway to a Guidelines and application materials career in the museum profession. for the 21MP program are available at http://www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/ Responding to the multiple and changing 21centuryMuseums.shtm demands upon museum professionals and the diverse backgrounds people bring to the Christopher J. Reich is Senior Program Officer at the Institute of Museum and Library Services.●✕ field, in 2005 IMLS established the 21st

www.march.rutgers.edu Cross Ties Newsletter/ Spring 2008

FAMOUS LAST WORDS D. Stephen Elliott Association YorkNew Historical State Planning for Success

At the New York State Historical 1. Who are our constituencies and 4. What are Association, Fenimore Art Museum, and what’s important to them? Our member, our mission- The Farmers’ Museum, we delight in visitor, and market research was vital to driven capital providing opportunities for quiet reflection, understanding whom we serve, how they needs? Our D. Stephen Elliott “aha!” moments, and discovery through make choices about us, and how to serve library and our research. Our institutions are distinguished them better. We learned that visitors are collections facilities are full and dated and not only for the excellence of their wide- very satisfied with their experiences and need remediation; two National Register ranging collections and the natural beauty value at our institutions. So we decided to buildings need renovations and improved of their settings, but also for educational focus on-site initiatives on the excellence and accessibility; and two well-interpreted Native pioneering. Among our accolades, a 2005 consistency of the visitor experience, with American sites require new design to attract poll of members of a national association annual incremental improvements in facilities the attention they deserve. In addition to of museum professionals placed the and program to keep the experience fresh, identifying these as fundamental priorities, groundbreaking exhibit The Farmer’s Year, stimulate return visits, and generate favorable we also decided to strengthen funding for which opened at The Farmers’ Museum in word-of-mouth. We decided not to increase collections acquisitions. 1958, fourth among the top eleven “‘tipping the scope of the experience (requiring more points’ that have shaped exhibitions over the time from the visitor) or raise prices. And 5. How can we fund programmatic and 20th century” in American museums; and we began to position our library as a regional operating initiatives, and capital needs two of the one hundred museum champions history center, reaching out to area users, and maintain the institutions’ long-term honored on the American Association of adding a small exhibit area, and refurbishing viability? To institutionalize financial Museums’ Centennial Honor Roll are ours. the interior. discipline, we resolved to reduce slightly our annual draw from endowment income; When I came on board as president several 2. How can we focus exhibition, scrutinize every temptation to spend more years ago, we began to chart the institutions’ program, publication, and design choices by asking what increased income or off- directions for the years ahead. Humbled to connect mission and audience? To setting reduction would support it; develop by and respectful of our legacy, we were strengthen our identity and market position, multi-year budget models to ensure balance determined to be rigorous in our analysis we reviewed missions, logos, websites, of income and expense over time and to and planning. communications media, and exhibition anticipate maintenance and replacement choices to align and tighten their focus. requirements; and consider funding plans The first step in our comprehensive process for capital needs. was to commission four separate studies: 3. How can we most effectively extend we engaged employees in focus-group the reach and impact of the institutions’ 6. How can we do it – i.e., maintain our discussions, asked our members and our resources? We decided initially to expand focus and discipline? We have program visitors for their suggestions, and probed an existing marquee program, New York alignment and stakeholder support for the the perceptions of the public in our primary History Day, and procured significant plans. Our choices are sound and do-able, markets. We identified internal strengths additional resources to undertake this within the scope of our mission and available and weaknesses, as well as external expansion, recently adding schools in resources. They are laid out in a rolling three- opportunities and threats. We weighed lots Buffalo and Yonkers. We increased our year action plan. Key steps are assigned to of options. Eventually we emerged with a offering of teacher workshops and found senior staff, and progress is reviewed quarterly “to-do” list centered on mission, excellence, a more effective marketing partner for our with the Boards. The plan is updated in service, impact, and value. distance learning programs. We also began December and rolled forward. partnering with others, such as the New Our discussions reflected issues familiar to York State Archives Partnership Trust, to We’ve just started the second plan-year. So most cultural organizations. How do we reach new audiences, and we developed a far, so good. We’ve gained good momentum remain relevant, focused, and financially plan to ratchet up our traveling exhibitions, on most (but not yet all) of our priorities – sound? Here’s how we addressed these which even now reach far more people but we didn’t plan to do everything at once! questions in our planning process, resulting than see our exhibitions in Cooperstown. Check back with us in two more years. in a comprehensive, rolling three-year Longer term we shall work on building our D. Stephen Elliott is President of the New York State strategic plan for our institutions. publishing program and explore a wide Historical Society. ●✕ range of new and innovative media.

Cross Ties: News and Insights for Humanities Professionals Spring 2008 Volume 3, Number 1

PUBLISHER DIRECTOR Mid-Atlantic Regional Center Howard Gillette for the Humanities Rutgers University–Camden ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Camden, NJ 08102 Tyler Hoffman 856-225-6064 www.march.rutgers.edu MARCH REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

ACTING EDITOR Bill Adair Melissa McCloud Linda Shopes Rosenbach Museum and Chesapeake Bay [email protected] Library (PA) Maritime Museum Olivia Cadaval Linda Norris Center for Folklife Riverhill Partners (NY) DESIGN and Cultural Heritage, McFarlane Designs Smithsonian Jan Seidler Ramirez [email protected] The National September 11 V. Chapman-Smith Memorial & Museum Original Concept: National Archives and Allan Espiritu Records Administration, Mid- Timothy A. Slavin Asst. Professor of Fine Arts, Atlantic Region Delaware Historical and Art Director, Rutgers Cultural Affairs Sara Cureton University-Camden New Jersey Historical Martin Sullivan Commission National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Nancy Davis National Museum of American Gabrielle Tayac History, Smithsonian National Museum of the O\ObW]\OZ[OUOhW\SSf^Z]`W\U American Indian, Smithsonian QVO\USaW\bVSc`PO\ZO\RaQO^S Joan Hoge Historical Society of Delaware Christine W. Ward New York State Archives /;3@71/< Barbara Irvine Independent Consultant (NJ) Stephanie G. Wolf McNeil Center, <3FB University of Pennsylvania eeeO[S`WQO\QWbg]`U 17BG

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID BELLMAWR, NJ 08031 PERMIT NO. 1271