,~- --:~: Volume 25 -Number 2 Winter 2005
NATIONAL ON PUBUC News Inside This Issue
Making Meaning of Murder
PUBLIC HISTORIANS AND THE CULTURE President's Comments: AND MEANING Of REGION Research AI Risk? DEFINING REGION: 2005 NCPH ANNUAL MEETING KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI I APRil14T016,2005
by Ray Geselbracht barbecue. Thanks to the generosity of an Harry S. Truman library underwriter, the harbeque, together with a tour of The NCPH Bulletin the recently renllvated Truman Museum exhihits, Kansas City is an ideal place for historians to are being provided at a significantly reduced cost. come together to consider the importance of region in American history, and for the husiness Twenty sessions are scheduled for Friday, Aprill5, of commemorating American history. The focused on themes ranging from "Bleeding Kansas" Kansas City metropolitan area is a place where to immigration and Native Americans; from regions come together and mix their distinctive heritage tourism to regional history centers; and tastes, attitudes, and ways of life into a complex from presidential sites to material culture and whole. One can drive to one part of town, n,lt "the physicality of identity." A poster session too far from the downtown skyline, and feel one in the early evening will allow several historians is in small-town Virginia, mixing with people and graduate students to exhihit results of their who seem almost southern, or to another part research. NCPH president Sharon Bahaian of town and feel one is looking at the north will deliver her presidential address during shore of Long Island and speaking to people wh,) the Presidential Luncheon entitled, "A Larger are basically western in outlook. The landscape, Reading of the Human Past," during the the houses and shopping areas, the people one Presidential Luncheon. To end the day, meets casually-everything seems different. NCPH members and guests will attend the Aquarterly publication Most of the country's major regions are arguahly annual endowment fundraiser, which will take af the Nofionol Council on well represented in the metropolitan area despite place at the central library of the Kansas City Public History in cooperation with the the spread in this city, as everywhere else in the Public Library~l()cated in what was formerly a Department of History, country, of a new paved, automobile scaled, bi~ very grand bank, now renovated into a heautiful Indiana University at Indianapolis box America that makes one wonder whether and fascinating library. In this renovated lihrary someday region may cease to matter. building one may, among other pleasures, pass Sharan Babaian, President bv a massive steel door and through a round The business of the conference for most portal, and view a film in a theater installed Robert Weible, Vice-President attendees will begin on Thursday, April 14, in the bank's big vault. James B. Gardner, Post President with two workshops and the first four sessions Harry Klinkhamer, of a total of thirty-two sessions scheduled over Eight sessions are scheduled for Saturday morning. Secretory-Treasurer the next three days. A plenary session titled In the afternoon the dominant mood of hard work David G. Vanderstel, "The Missouri River Rediscovered" concludes of the prior two days will lift, and everyone is Executive Director the first afternoon's business, and then, following invited to join one of five tours that will sample some transportation time, the Truman Presidential some of the cultural riches of Kansas City. Museum & Library will host a Kansas City-style > continued on page 2 2005 NCPH ANNUAL MEETING > continued from page 2 The tours focus respectively on (1) an old steamboat discovered News Hour with Jim Lehrer and on ABC News, and for under the Missouri River with its cargo intact and the country's his many books, including the best selling The Conquerors. only fully operational nineteenth century woolen mill; (2) two The conference headquarters hotel, the Kansas City Marriott extraordinary early twentieth century buildings-the Liberty Downtown, incorporates the old Muehlebach Hotel, which Memorial, the country's only museum dedicated to commemorating served as President Truman's Kansas City White House when World War I, and Union Station, one of the Midwest's grand old he and his staff were in town. Most of the conference's events railroad stations-both of which have been recently renovated will occur in a part of the old hotel that has been restored to with public funds; (3) the 18th and Vine district, where jazz its original appearance. once flourished in Kansas City, and where a great age of music is now memorialized in the American Jazz Museum; (4) the Harry Detailed information about the conference can be found in S. Truman National Historic Site and National Historic the conference program, which is available on the NCPH Landmark District, which includes the home of Harry and Bess website (http://www.ncph.org/2005annualmeeting.html). Truman and the neighborhood through which Truman walked nearly every morning when he was not in Washington or NCPH officers and staff, and everyone invoked in organizing somewhere else, becoming connected with a community in a way the 2005 conference, hope for a big turnout, because the value that is unique among presidents; and (5) the home and studio of and richness of everything that happens during the conference one of Missouri's greatest artists, and greatest characters as well, will come from the ideas, commitment, and passions of those Thomas Hart Benton, together with an exhibition on Missouri's of you who join together with your NCPH colleagues in Kansas great artists at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, one of the City on some hopefully beautiful days in mid-April, not too country's premier art institutions. far away.
The conference concludes on Saturday night with the Awards Ray Gesell:rracht sits on the Local Arrangements Committee for the Banquet and keynote address by historian and media personality 2005 conference. Gesell:rracht also serves as archivist at the Truman Michael Beschloss, famous for his appearances on PBS's The Presidential Lil:rrary in l ndependence, Missouri. i ------~-~
WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS
Ruth Bagley-Ayres Jenny Huffman Jennifer Nickerson Edward Shuster Columbia, SC New Orleans, LA Holliswn, MA Highland, NY Biblio de la Sorbonne Charles Hughes Joshua Paddison Seamus Sillivan Runnemede, NJ Draper, UT Venice, CA Bethlehem, PA Ernest Blevins Frank Hughes Maria Reynolds Katherine Swank Villa Rica, GA. Sharon Hill, FA Chicago, I L Las Cruces, NM Devon Brogan Lucy Jones Emily Reece Nicholas Wallwork Wichita, KS Tampa, FL Canton, GA Phoenix, AZ Heather Caldwell Tiya Miles Jue Roberts Catherine Wright Bryan, TX Ann ArbOT, Ml Austin, TX Greensboro, NC Robert Covington Janet Mishkin .-\drienne Sadovsky UniverSity of Wisconsin Tempe, A.Z Wind Gap, FA Stillwater, OK Department of History Melisa Davis National Endowment Bill Schroh Eau Claire, WI Eau Claire, \'('1 for the Humanities Union, NJ Washington, D. C.
ABOUT OUR MEMBERS iimon J. Bronner, director of the Center for Pennsylvania Culture led hy museum and educational professionals, role play the ;tudies and Distinguished Professor of American Studies at the characters and acti\'ities from the time period. All participants )ennsylvania State University, Harrisburg, has been named cl,m custumes and do first person interpretation which allows ~alt Whitman Distinguished Chair of American Culture at students to directly experience history. At the conference, people he University of Leiden in the Netherlands for fall 2005. working in museums and educational programs from nine countric:i talked about how they use Historic Environment Education in Ion Hunner attended "Bridging Ages," a conference in Vimmerby, their institutions. At "Bridging Ages," Hunner and Scott Green 3weden in November on Historic Environment Education. Abu (a graduate student in New Mexico State Uni\'ersity's Public Hiswry mown as Time Traveling, this is an innovative method using Program) described how they have Time Tra\·eled to the Spanish iving history as an educational technique. With Time Traveling, Colunial period in southern New Mexico with over 650 elementary ~lementary and secondary students visit a historic site and, anci secondary students over the last two years.
zWi6 MAKING MEANING OF MURDER by John Russick Chicago Hisloricol Society
In the spring of 2004, the Chicago Historical Society opened the exhibition, "Leupold and Loeb: The 'Perfect' Crime." It recounted the details of Chicago's "Crime of the Century." which was named for Nathan F. Leopold Jr. and Richard A. Loeb. t\\"o well-educated, '.\·ealthy, teenage boys who ,et out t() commit the l'erfect crime. 111e exhibition opened on the 80th anniversary of their reckless and cruel adventure.
TI1e story of this brutal crime has been featured in American hi~;tor)" textbooks for decades, but the "Crime of the Centun'" wa, a lahel that Leopold and Loeh mndd en'ntually have to share with other heinous acts throughout the t\\"('ntieth century-the Lindbergh kidnapping and the trial of 0.]. Simpson. for example. So. what made this case li\'e un: How does it still have meaning for us today? In the exhibition, we attempted to amwer these questions and hopefully, in the process, helped visitors realize that the past can tell us something about our present.
Leopold and Loeb's plan for the perfect crime was to kidnap a young bo\" from a wealthy family, request a ransom of $10.000 for his safe return. and get away \rith it. To ensure that they would not be caught, the\' planned from the outset to murder their \'ictim and seek the ransom from the dead boy's family hefore anyone discovered his fate. Ultimately, famous attorney Clarence Darrow's decision to defend the murderers and the use of psychoanalytical testimony at the hearing Scenes above from the Chicago Historical Society, "leopold and turned this gruesome and senseless murder into one of the most important loeb: The 'Perfect' Crime." court cases in American history.
They put their plan into action in the afternoon of May 21, 1924. After combing their own affluent neighborhood for the ideal \'ictim, the two deciLled to kidnap a 14-year-old acquaintance, Bobby Franks, \\·Im was walking alone a few blocks from his home. Richard Loeb lured Franks into the fnmt seat of Nathan Leopold's rented car. AlmLlst immediately, Franks was struck on the head with the shaft of a steel chisel. pulled into the hackseat of the car, and silenced by a rag stuffed into his mouth. He died shortly thereafter. Hours later Leopold and Loeb shlwed his bod\" into a cuh'ert in a remote an:;! of Southeast Chicago. The killers then initiated the second phase of their plan-ransom.
Early the following morning the body of Bobby Franks was dis((wered and his death was reported in the local papers before Leopold and Loeb could collect the ransom. 111e two murderers were caught shortly thereafter due in large part to the discowry of Leopold's eyeglasses near the dead boy. The impending court case became the talk of the national press and captivated the city. Rumors about the case spread quickly, including suspicions that the victim was sexually molested and that the killers were homosexuals. Ultimately, famous attorney Clarence Darrow's decision to defend the murderers and the use of psychoanalytical testimony at the hearing turned this gruesome and senseless murder into one of the most important court cases in American history.
For the exhibition, we sought to help visitors relate to this story in numerous ways. For instance, the displays and associated public programming explored issues that connected Nathan leopold's eyeglasses, lelt ot the scene 01 the (rime the crime and courtroom proceedings to contemporary issues, including the on-going debates over the death penalty in Illinois and America, the role of the media in high profile criminal cases, and issues of jll\'enile justice in Chicago. The exhibition also drew Photographs by John Alderson, Chicago Historical Society people in by featuring powerful objects and images from our own permanent collections, as well as artifacts on loan from the Field Museum and Northwestern University Archives and Special Collections Library. The exhibited materials included the original ransom notes sent to the Franks family. the psychological profiles of Leopold and Loeb used at > continued on page 8 PRESIDENT'S eOMMENTS
RESEARCH AT RISK?
by Sharon Boboion Similar concerns about the state of research in Canadian museums [email protected] were expressed by the delegates to the first ever Canadian Museums Research Summit held in Ottawa this past January. The meetin,; esearch is something puhlic historians take t(J[ granted. We all attracted ahllut 200 museum-based researchers from across the o it and we all know that good history-from scholarly to popular country and from all types and sizes of museums. The goal of this [ld e\'erything in hetween-depends on it. We also know the very two-day, cfllss-disciplinary summit was not just to identify the est research is not only time-consuming hut also largely invisible; challenges facing research in museums but, more importantly, provides an essential foundation and framework for the elegant "to develop a comprehensive action plan to ensure the future arratiw, the compelling exhibition or the innovative tour. The strength and relevance of museum research in Canada." ony is that, because so much public history ~search takes place behind the scenes, many "The greatest risk to research in Because organi:ers wanted something eople in positions of influence within the concrete and practical to come out of the eritage community do not see it as a core museums is when no one realises summit, they adnpted a workshop-like mction of their institutions. This lack of structure where participants were di\'ided rmpathetic understanding places research that if is being carried out." and sub-divided into groups of ahout 10. I a vulnerable position at hudget time, when Discussions hegan with fairly broad topics lstitutions im'ariably have to choose among Dr. Robert Anderson, and then were gradually guided towards lany competing projects and priorities. University of (ambridge, specific actions and desired outcomes. On the first day delegates were di\'ided former director, British Museum 'he uncertain status of research has hecome up according to their disciplines-history, particular concern for museums. Once science, and art-to identify and discuss htions of scholarly, collections-based the major issues facing museum-based ~search in history, the natural and physical sciences, anthropology, research in each area.-On the second day, they were divided :chaeologv and art history, among oth~r things, museums have aCCl)rding to three topics: the capacity to do research, generating [ldergone a transt~)rmati()n in recent years. They are increasingly anc! integrating meaningful new knowledge and translating reseal'·11 ~cn by their hc)ar(1s and the guvernments and communities that into museum Cl)llections and programs. Interspersed with these md them as tools of educational and social policy and/or as part workshup-like sessions were plenary panels made up of national f the leisure, entertainment and tuurism industries. They have and international experts whose presentations were intended to 'langec! their mandates and missions to reflect this new, multi- stimulate, frame and tOCllS the delegates' discussions. Ice ted role and are placing greater emphasis on such things as isitor services, puhlic programs and communicatiuns and What emerged trum these discussions was very interesting if not larketing. Research has bad to compete with these other, more entirelv surprising. First uf all, it has been a long time since museum, isible priorities t~)[ dwinclling funds and it has not always fa ired basec! researchers in Canada have had an opportunity to discliss the ell. things that matter most to them: collections and scholarship. We clearly needed to ha\'e this discussion. This was evident not only in I 1998, the United Kingdom's tv\useums and Galleries Commissiun the attenc!ance, which was well above expectations, hut also in the mducted a ccml~'rehensi\'e survey of museum-based research and sense of urgencv and enthusiasm that most delegates hrought to the llmd some unsettling trends. For example, 44% of the museums discussions. For all the differences that divide researchers in natural
I the survey sample '\lid not include provision for research and history museums and art galleries from those of us that work in :holarship in a mission statement or forward plan" for the human history museums, there is enough common ground and lsriruti()n and l'nly ,OOr" (,f respondents had "research and enough to be learned from one another's disciplines to make such uhlication hudgets." The survey also revealed that fully 80% cross-disciplinary meetings worthwhile. f individual respondents felt they were not doing as much research i they woulcllike clue largely to lack of time and resources. Also, It also came as no surprise that many delegates helieved that ,hen experienced curatc)[S left and were not replaced, museums research was under-valued in their museums. There were a number ot only lost a \\'ealth of knowledge ahout the collections hut also of reasons given for this state of affairs including a general lack Ie opportunity to pass that knowledge along to a new generation of understanding uf what research is, how it is done and what f curators. its results are. As a consequence, many people within museums fail In the concluding plenary to the summit, Dr. Robert Bud of the tl1 see that scholarship provides, among other things, the foundation Science Museum, London, called the current situation in which for all successful popularization. Instead of looking at the work of museums find themselves a 'Weimar moment'_ Di~()rder, uncertainty curators, scientists and historians and using it as a starting point and change surround us but so, too, do opportunities and it is up to for developing public programs, staffs look elsewhere for ideas and us III make the most of these. History itself Illay he an 'easy sell' information to fulfill their needs. In many institutions, these needs hut the research that makes it possible is nnt. \X!e need to become take priority when it comes to negotiating work plans, allocating stronger adnlCates for our complex yet essential crafT and for the hudgets and making staffing decisions, leaving research at the many creative and dedicated people who practice it in mlisellIm htltwm of the list or off the list entirely. This was especially true and elsewhere in the heritage communi tv. fLlr the many small and medium-sized institutions which have few full-t ime staff. If these museums have professionally trained curators, References they seldom have the resources to do any sustained research beyond Ann V. Gunn and R.G.W. Prescott, Lifting the Veil: Research th,,[ which is required to facilitate acquisitions, develop exhibitions and ScholllTship in United Kingdom Museums and Galleries or answer public inquiries. (London: Museums & Galleries Commission, 1999)
Reswing Research Among the conference participants, there was a clear se-nse that IN OTHER NEWS museum research had been marginalized and impoverished in recent years. Many expressed anger and frustration at this state A IIThank You" from the President ,~f affairs and at their apparent inability to change it. At the same In my last column I reported on our recent board meeting in rime, buoyed by two days of collegial contact with like-minded Indianapolis, hosted by IUPUI. What I failed to mention, was That people, the summit delegates and organizers couldn't help but feel this was the first time the NCPH board has met at the university that there might still be some hope for rescuing museum research. that provides a home for our executi\·e offices a, well as suhstantial financial and other support. We took ad\·antage of The opportunity The consensus of the summit seemed to be that researchers have to the meeting affllrded to show our gratitude to the School of Liheral adopt an active, systematic and constructive approach to promoting Arts and the history department and to meet some of our supporters their work. They need to demonstrate how crucial research is, how in person. David invited the Dean of Liberal Arts to the hoard it generates new knowledge and understanding, how it unlocks the meeting and, thanks to the efforts of Phil Scarpino, I was ahle to stories, secrets and significance of our collections, how it helps us meet with Dean White before the meeting. Phil and I chatted with to understand who we are and how we got here. This strategy can Dean White about NCPH's mission and goals and I also outlined provide the basis for an integrated vision of the museum, one that some of our plans for the future. He seemed genuinely supportive allows for coherent and systematic long-term planning and which of our work and of our ongoing relationship with the history includes ongoing support for research. department and the university.
Selling this vision and seeing that it is actually implemented will Following the meeting, many board I1wmbers and other NCPH not he easy. Lack of funding and funding with strings attached notables joined the IUPUI history department and public history iTlrtkes planning for the future a challenge at best. Research alumni in celebrating the 20th anniversary of the puhlic history brecially requires long-term investment. Even sympathetic program. Melissa Bingmann organized the event (with the stalwart managers often lack the control and flexibility required to make support of Liz 1\1onroe and the graduate students) which consisted this kind of commitment. More worrying still is the anti-intellectual of a series of presentations and tours and lots of good food and drink. attitude, _often cloaked in bogus democratic attire, _that seems to It was a stimulating and entertaining e\·ent. be pre\·alent in some museums. In this atmosphere, collections-based and scholarly research is not just invisible, it's unnecessary. Thanks to David, Dana, Melissa and friends for making our first official visit to Indianapolis and IUPUI such a resounding success. Changing this mindset might be impossible and working around it will require determined and sympathetic leadership at the highest levels. teaching as that which occurred within the classroom, thus failing to recognize the teaching and learning that occurs in exhibits, at historic sites, and the like. Others argued that serving as a "talking head" in a documentary, consulting on an exhibit, or serving on a by David G. Vanderslel historical society board meant that they were "doing public history." [email protected] They did not seem to realize that coming out of the ivory tower for special appearances does not a public historian make. Rather, public my twenty years as a historian, I have been on a continuous history requires a philosophy, an orientation, a commitment to make Jurney of discovery" through our field of public history. As a one's scholarship accessible and meaningful to larger audiences and )duct of a traditional academic program--with nary a mention to demonstrate the applicability of that scholarship to present and museums, government agencies, consultants, or the public future issues. ,'as determined to return to a small liberal arts college in the idwest to teach and mentor I am also concerned by ldents. But, upon receiving Thus, if the majority of historians see history as purely departments seeking to jump .. degree and encountering on the public history bandwagon ight job market, I began my academic in focus, that would explain the lack of by dewloping public history reer instead as a historian for understanding and appreciation for public history courses without experienced iving history museum near faculty. I recei ve occasiunal .Iianapolis with little clue a, and its contributions to the whole. calls llr emai\,; from faculty the opportunities for members who have been rsonal and professional charged with creating public l\\'th that lay ahead for me. Within a short period of time, history options for their departments-:.;omething I also heard )und myself contributing to the development of exhibits, while staffing the NCPH information table at AHA. In most cases, Irking on school curriculum materials, conducting public these indi\'iduais have had no experience in d'ling public history Jgrams, doing staff training, and e\'en providing historical and wanted a "crash course" in public history. Since public histor\ lterials for the public relarilllb statf I learned firsthand what has been aflJund since the 1970, as an area of specialization and neant to be a public hi:;wrian e\'en before I e\'e~ became aware practice, I am rather amazed that there is not a greater awareness the term. But, I quickly reaked that what I did for the museum of and appreciation for public history within the historical professi,)[l reaching our 200,000 visitors annually could possibly have_a and that public history still remains a mvstery among a significant ~ater impact un the puhlic's ul1clerstanding of and appreciation portion ,)f historians. history than what I did in a lifetime of classroom teaching. Why is this so: I believe that past AHA president James , it has heen with great interest ,l\'er my last decade of service McPherson correctly identified the problem. In his presiclential NCPH Executi\'e Directur that I ha\'e watched the historical column in the March 2003 Perspectives, tvkPherson noted that lfession on its llwn "journey of di,;(()\'ery" about what constitutes the historical profession may consist primarily of a "dominant hlic history. I have been pleasecl t,l see in recent years how our elite" \\ho "try to turn their students into cl'lnes uf themselves" ler and larger sister as,llciatilllb h,\\'e become more aware of and that if their students fail to secure pllsitilll1S in research hlic history, clearly an indicariun that public history is not uni\'ersities or "a good four-year college," "we tend to cllnsicler ~ "t1ash in the pan" that many initially thought. Through the them ~ and ourselves ~ subjects tt)f condolence." Thus, if the 'ation of task tt)rces, staff liaisons, and e\'en annual meetings majority of historians see history as purelv academic in t(XUS, :h public history themes, these ,bsociations have acknowledged that would explain the lack lOf understanding and appreciation It public history must be recognized as a viable part of the tor public history and its contributions to the whole . .wrical profession. Similarly, in the May 2004 issue of Perspectives, Gerald Prokopnwic thuugh this progress is indeed LlLI,lable, I remain concerned (If East Cawlina University claimed there \\',1, a "broken connccti(,n" Jut the profession's u\'erall un,lerstanding of what constitutes between academic historians and the public. But, in reviewing my blic history. [n fact, there remains a strong feeling that public own public history experience and the development of the historic:d tory may be a noble cause, hut that it still is not "real" history. profession from the late 19th century, I realized that the connectioll hile attending the American Historical Association's annual between consumers of history and the historical profession was 'eting in Seattle this past Januarv (the theme of which was never completely broken, thanks to the work of professional puhlic rchives and Artifacts"), [ heard se\'eral discussions and comments historians whose work has reached ~ and continues to reach ~ larger It cuntinued to indicate a lack of understanding about public and more diverse audiences over the decades through a variety of wry. During l,ne session, some participants continued to define > continued on page 8 NARA Opens Bush Presidential Records On 18 February 2005, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) opened approximately 9,700 pages of preSidential records that are ;Jssociated \\'ith r!w rresidcllrv by Bruce Craig, Notional Coalition for History of George H.W. Bush that were previously withheld under [email protected] Presidential Records Act (PRA) restrictions. This is the first release of Bush presidential records that are no longer subject Weil'l§tein Confirmed as US Archivist to presidential restrictive categories or applicable Freedom llf On 10 February 2005, the Senate quietly confirmed Dr. Allen Information Act (FOIA) exemptions. Weinstein as the ninth Archivist of the United States. As Archi\'ist, Weinstein will oversee the National Archives and The good news for scholars is that neither representatives III Records Administration (NARA), an independent federal agency President Bush nor the incumbent President Bush h,I\'e chosen created in 1934. In a hrief ceremony on 16 February, some fifty or to assert any constitutionally-based pri\'ilege on any (\f these so CI(lSe friends and family memhers as well as NARA employees, papers that could have been claimed under provisions of PRA sn'ua] members of Congress and representatives of professional implementation Executive Order 13233. This release brings the organi:ations watched Weinstein's friend and Congressional total number of records now available to scholars and researchers SpOn,(lr, Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), administer the oath relating to the Executive Office of the President during George of dfice on a Bihle that once he longed to a Revolutiomuy H. W. Bush's presidency to 5,4 million pages. War :;oldier that was obtained from NARA holdings.
Watergate Papers Now Public We:nstein spoke briefly and said, "In April, we will celebrate On 4 Februarv 2005, the University of Texas unveiled the the 20th anni\'ersary of National Archives independence. Under Woodward aI~d Bernstein Waterga~e Papers. The Woodward Natil1nal Archi\'ists during hoth Republican and Democratic Bernstein Collection includes thousands of pages uf hand-written rre~'jdencies, the tradition of non-political and highest rrofessional notes, typed memos, and transcripts culled from 75 file-drawer arrenrion w the work involved has been the norm. It will continue size boxes bought by the Uni\'ersity for $5 million. The archive, to he so during my watch as will an effort to deepen the interaction however, will ;10t reveal the identity of "Deep Throat" and other v:irh Congress and with other governmental agencies." Making confidential sources until their deaths. Vie\\' the description and a subtle reference to another reriod of great transition that highlights of the collection at: characteri:ed the early days of John F. Kennedy's administration, http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/research/fa/woodstein.hp.html. Weinstein announced that "in the next 100 days" he intended to try w visit e\'erv NARA regional facility and presidential library History Arguments Advanced in Supreme Court Cases al~d planned to '''srend much of this period listening, learning, and Over the past few years, the display of the Ten Commandments \wrking to design the next phase of the National Archive's future." has become what some consider a focal point of a new culture war. This last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on With several members of Congress in the audience as well as the two most recent controversial cases that focus on the display several key White House officials, Weinstein also mentioned that of the Ten Commandments on government property. Interestingly, in coming weeks he would be talking with members of Congress "history" was at the core of both sides' arguments. about restoring funding for the National Historical Puhlications and Records Administration (NHPRC). Restoration of funding The first case, Van Orden v. Perry (no. 03-1500) focw;es on for the NHPRC appears to be among his top concerns. the issue whether a six-foot high stone monument displaying the Ten Commandments on the Texas state capitol grounds Weinstein brings extensive experience to NARA. In the past (between the state capitol and the supreme court) violates the he has served as senior advisor at the International Foundation First Amendment; the second, McCreary County v. ACLU for Election Systems; founder, president, and CEO of The Center (No. 03-1693) considers whether a local courthouse in Kentucky for Democracv. He has been a fellow with the Woodrow Wilson can exhibit the Ten Commandments in a public display along International Center for Scholars and the American Council of with other historical documents. Lertrned Societies, a university professor at Boston University and Georgetown University, and has held other academic positions. In the Supreme Court room itself, there is a frieze dedicated to Weinstein received two Senior Fulbright Lectureships, a United history's great lawgivers. Justices can look up from their seats and Nations Peace Medal, and the Council of Europe's Silver Medal. view an image showing Moses and Confucius sitting beside John He also published several books, contributed to eight edited > continued on page B collections, and has written numerous articles for a range of publications. ~aking Meaning of Murder > continued from page 3
Ie sentencing hearing, and Nathan for themselves and Chicago today. The In the final weeks of the exhibition we eopold's eyeglasses, which were the key works on display and artists' statements conducted a summarive evaluation to ue in linking Leopold, and therefore, that accompanied them helped many of discover how we fared in our attempt to .Jeb to the crime. Newspapers of the era, our visitors grapple with their own feelings make this 80-year-old case relevant for hich followed the case with headlines about the crime and their personal struggle contemporary audiences. Interestingly, Ich as, "Kidnap Rich Boy; Kill Him" and to make sense of the senseless. but perhaps not surprisingly, we found that ;layers Spurn Sympathy," were reproduced the variety of devices we employed helped lroughout the gallery. These vehicles for In one of the most powerful works make those connections for different visitors lmmunicating sensational news were Deborah Maris-Lader's print, Playground in different ways. For some, the newspaper miliar to visitors and helped them identify visitors viewed the work through the glass headlines reminded them of their recent Irallels between our own crime-obsessed and frame of an old Chicago window. The experiences with the O.J. Simpson or Lee mes and those of the past. We also window became a lens through which the Boyd Malvo cases. For others the often atured videos with film footage provided visitor could watch children standing and quoted phrase from Clarence Darrow, , local PBS affiliate WTTW 11 to further playing. Some figures appear to be Bobby "[ may hate the sin, but never the sinner" Igage our visitors, diversify the exhibition Franks; others are ghosted images, clouded caused them to think about their own :perience, and provide additional context to appear as if they are only partially there. feelings regarding the death penalty. For r the story. Maris-Lader's comments serve to provide a few, Maris-Lader's words helped them what the curator can only suggest, a clear remember that the life of a young boy was lt perhaps the most effective element for association between her own life and the lost in the fren:y of this case and that today, eating opportunities to connect visitors experiences of others in the past. villains still prey on the unprotected and th this history was the conclusion to the innocent. e exhibition. Here, we invited Richard ''I'm coming at this in a totally different lhan, a local writer and art dealer, to way-as a parent looking out a window john Russick is a curawr at the Chicago velop and execute his idea to commission waiting for my children to come home," Historical Society. His next project is an ur local contemporary artists to make new she wrote. "I wanted to focus on the idea exhibition about history /or children; it will lrk that explored the meaning of this case that anyone's child is hasically t~lir game." open next year.
From NCH Washington Update > continued from pog.; 7 From The Director's Desk > continued from page 6 Marshall. The frie::c sen'ed as a c
\lCPH continues to make excellent strides in promoting the For several hours opponents of the granite Ten Commandment ;tudy and practice of public history. At the AHA meeting, monument in Texas argued that its presence on public pmperty \lCPH sponsored a session on public history curricula, including amounts to a govcrnmental impnsition of mnnotheism; propcHlt'm:; :liabeth Fraterrigo, Patrick K. Moore, Patricia Mooney-Melvin, of the monument claimed it was nothing more than a public md Noel Stowe; the session drew a respectable audience and recognition of the role of Judeo-Christian influences on Wester" )foduced a lively conversation. In addition, NCPH co-hosted civili:ation and the founding of the United States. In the I reception with other public history organizations, which Kentucky case proponents also argued the "historical nature" lrovided a great opportunity to exchange ideas and explore of their "exhibit" which includes not just the display of the he practice of public history. NCPH members also represent Commandments, but other documents such as the Magna he organization at meetings around the country and abroad. Carta 'lI1~1 the lyrics t,l the ndtiull,tl dl1lhem. Oppunt:nts argued that the "secular purpose" of the displays is "a sham." \dmittedly, we won't be able to convince all historians about In the end, all agreed that, bottom line, "context mattered." he value of public history. But, we can, in our own respective lreas of work, promote public history within the profession and Come July 2005, the Court will render a decision and the nation lmong our wider publics, making them aware of the usefulness will learn to what extent history- based arguments prevailed in .£ history to present and future generations. If you have any swaying the justices. One thing for sure, when it renders judgmem, leas about future NCPH initiatives, I would certainly welcome the Court will have no paucity of historical arguments to bolster ·our input. both the majority and minority position. (onslJho~t' s'Eorner
The NCPH Consultant's Comer is dedicated to promoting the interests status for properties, advising on Section 106 matters, preparing of NCPH members who prcwide historical senJices as consultants or conservation easement documentation and rehabilitation tax contractors. Submissions to the Consultant's Comer should highlight credit applications. professional accomplishments amon.r.; contract historians, contract firms, and other independent researchers. Submissions detailing news of finished Neary also has teaching experience, including several courses at projects, contract awards, contract report publications, ongoing oral Bellarmine University in Louisville on local history and historic hiswry projects, or an)'thing else that might be of interest to practicing preservation topics. She is called on regularly to speak on historic hiswrians can be e-mailed to the NCPH office at: [email protected]. preservation and history topics, and has made presentations at local, Be sure w include your full name and address. state and national conferences. She has also developed tours and history and archaeology educational programs for audiences ranging DOl1nll M. Neary is a historian and writer. Among her former from preschool to senior citizens. employers are local, state, and federal governments. In 2000, Near\' launched her historical consulting business after serving A Louisville native, Donna M. Neary earned a B.A. in History as head of the county historic presen'ation and archives agency and Journalism from Murray State University, and was awarded in Louisville, Kentuckv for six vears. Historic Presen'ation has an M.A. in Public History from Loyola University Chicago. In plaved a major role in her career over the past eighteen years, addition, her experience exceeds the qualifications listed in the and she has successfully listed nearly 2000 historic resources in Federal Register 36 CFR 800 for historic preservation professionals. the National Register of Historic Places. Neary has extensive She regularly attends conferences and workshops for continuing experience with design re\'iew in historic districts, serving as education opportunities. Courses taken include "Introduction to staff to two hisroric preservation commissions. In that capacity, Federal Projects and Historic Preservation Law" off~red by the she mutinely reviewed applications for new construction within United States General Services Administration (GSA) Interagency existing historic districts. She is intimately familiar with the Training Center, and "Guiding Design on Main Street" sponso!'ed Secretary of the Interior's Standard for Rehabilitation. She has hy the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In addition, recently worked for Yew Dell Gardens, the and Olmsted Neary has undertaken a self-directed study of historic landscapes, Conservancy. Clients include Louisville Stoneware, Glassworks, attending workshops and seminars in order to understand and the Kentucky Derby Museum, and the Lexington, KY COI1\'ention evaluate these complex resources. Contact Donna Neary at rind Visirors Bureau. She assists clients by preparing National [email protected]. Register of Historic Places nominations, reviewing landmark CHOlARS CAll ON CONGRESS TO SUSPEND TRANSFER OF NIXON RESIDENTIAL RECORDS
.. er a dozen scholars have petitioned Congress to conduct History News Network, "It appears that the directors of the ersighthearings and suspend the proposed transfer of Richard Nixon library were concerned that professional historians, xon's presidential records to the Nixon Library and Birthplace seeking historical truth based on archival evidence, would, Yorba Linda, California. The exceptionally strongly worded in reporting their findings, damage Nixon's reputation by -rer questions "that institution's fitness to join the Presidential telling the truth as they found it." Jrary system" and urges Congress to nduct oversight hearings on the Iyou really donlt want scholars around, Neither do the critics buy the library's 'angements between the National argument that poor attendance was the 'chives and Records Administration anyhow. They have this annoying habit cause of the cancellation. According to lARA) and the Nixon library. Taylor, the library had sent out over 200 of clustering near the truth: 1 invitations and as of last week only seven rthermore, the scholars call for enactment participants had signed up. Whittier college legislation mandating "an independent Thomas S. Blanton, officials noted though that while some 200 ,iew board at each of the existing and invitations were mailed, they went only Director for the National Security Archive :ure presidential libraries" modeled on to "the Nixon Library constituency" and e State Department's Historical Advisory that with proper publicity the conference lmmittee.(for the petition, tap into "would have drawn good attendance frum tp://www.nsarchi\'e.org) the academic community." A similar retrospective conference un the Reagan presidency back in April 2002 held on the campus Jdressed to several Congressional committees, the petition of U.C. Santa Barbara attracted well over 100 scholars. signed by sixteen historians who were scheduled to speak at :onference on President Nixon and Vietnam at the Richard The library and college had disagreed over the issue of inviting lxon Library and Birthplace that last week was abruptly cancelled and featuring certain Nixon era figures, such as Henry Kissinger library officials. Many prominent Nixon era schlllars and critics, and Robert McNamara. Nixnn library officials maintained that eluding Stanley Kuder, Jeffrey Kimball, and Larry Berman had having such headliners would generate greater attention while en invited to participate. John Taylor, Executive Director of some academics argued their presence would detract from the e library, blamed the cancellation on a lack of public interest academic nature of the conference. d budget concerns though scholars see a more sinister mlltive. Stanley Kuder, howe\'er, placed blame for the cancellation squard le cancellation contributes to what has already prlwen to he on the shoulders llf the executive director of the library. "As Ion; awkward transitional period for Nixon library officials as the as John Taylor is running the Nixon nperation," he said, "the ph:,· lrary's board and leadership begins to move from being an is off-limits to serious scholarly endeavor." Thomas S. Blanton, tirely rri\'ate entity to one that meets standards expected director for the National Security Archive, also had harsh worcls in a unit of the presidential library system supported by with a letter to Taylor in which he stated, "You really don't want Hic funds provided by the National Archives. scholars around, anyhow. They have this annoying habit of clustering near the truth." Iso sponsoring the conference was Whittier College, Nixon's na mater. College officials had hoped to establish a new The recent actions of library officials to cancel the conference lationship with the Nixon library through their sponsorship and the reactions from the scholarly community together with the event. According to Dean Susan Gotsch the conference Nixon library officials' continuing efforts to subvert provisinns ~emed a promising first step in this new relationship" but the of the Presidential Libraries Act by seeking federal funding thdrawal of the library's considerable funds restricts the option prior to formal integration into the presidential library system, having the college continue to sponsor the conference. Said undoubtedly will serve as the catalyst for further controversy as :Jtsch, "pursuing this conference alone at this time is not an the library continues to press Allen Weimtein, the new Archi\'L;r
Irion. II of the United States, and Congress to become a full-fledged NARA-sanctioned presidential library facility. vited presenters and other interested individuals expressed ssionate outrage over what they perceive as the library's political From the NCH \Xl ashington Update. ;)tive for cancelling the event. Jeffrey Kimball scathingly told the · -~-~"- Bulletin
undergraduate work studying history, Colonial mansion and made AWARDS, GRANTS art history, material culture studies, arrangements to establish her family AND INTERNSHIPS museum studies, or related topics. home as a historic house museum. The museum encompasses three city blocks Clement Ellis Conger Museum Internship Please send a letter of interest and and includes a state of the art Visitor's The Society of the Cincinnati, a resume by April 22, 2005, to: Emily Center, the McFaddin-Ward House, non-profit institution that maintains Schulz, Curator of Collections, The an Administrative office building and it( h;~toric house museum and Society of the Cincinnati - Anderson a Collections and Education building. rl':e<:rch library at Anderson House House, 2118 Massachusetts Avenue, More than 100,000 artifacts encompass in \Xiashingron, D.C., otfers the NW Washington, DC 20008; Fax: the decorative arts collection and vast Clement Ellis Conger Museum (202) 785-0729; E-mail: archives. This is an internship that will h-,rernship to an indi\'idual interested [email protected] expose the intern to projects and duties in the care and research of museum in all areas of a historic house museum. co:]tctions. During the summer James B. Castles Fellowship The intern will spend a certain amount of 20:]5, the intern will have the The Center for Columbia RiYer History of time determined at the heginning of or:-,,)'tunity to participate in and is pleased to announce the James B. the internship in Collections, EducatiOl contribute to the operation of a Castles Fellowship to encourage original and Archives. The focus of the hiotwic house museum, particularly scholarly research that contributes to internship will be a specific project in the areas of curatorial and public understanding of the history of chosen by the intern in either interpretatiOI cot lions management work. the Columbia River Basin. The $3,000 or collections management. Work is Fellowship is open to graduate students, performed under general superdsion of Th: i;1ternship is named after professional historians and independent the museum curator. Duties may includ, CIllT'(~nt Ellis Conger, former curator scholars. CCRH encourages proposals collections management, interpretation of 'Jl'c Diplomatic Reception Rooms from diverse historical perspectives, and administration. Must have a strong and r,-,ember of the Society of the including social, ethnic, political, interest in working with collections or Ci;1C:nnati. Through the generosity cultural and environmental approaches. interpretation. Candidates must be of John Jay Hopkins Foundation, Fellows will be in residence at the capable of precise and detail-oriented the internship carries a $1,000 stipend. Center for Columbia RiYer History work. A background in museum studies. Possible projects include, but are not in Portland, Oregon(Vancollver, history, art history or education is limitt'd to: Completing an ongoing Washington for four weeks during the preferred. Computer literacy is expectec imentory of the books in the Andersons' granting year (June 1, 2005 - August 31, The internships last ten weeks for up original library and preparing a study 2006). They will deliver a public talk to 35 hours per week and is flexible on the interpretation of this library; on their research topic and submit an between the dates of May and August. C"nducting object research on the article for possible publication in a This internship will provide hands-on Wetenhall-de Courcy-May portraits, regional journal. In addition, they experience for the qualified candidate a collection of 28 works dating from will submit a written report on their and is unpaid. Unpaid internship lengt~ the 17th through the 19th centuries research for the CCRH archives. and hours are negotiable. Office staff related to an early Maryland family; Further information, contact Mary is willing to assist with necessary Registering the portraits in the Society's Wheeler at the Center for Columbia paperwork for interns to obtain collections with the Catalog of River History at [email protected]; course credit. American Portraits maintained by the Phone: (360) 258-3289. Applications National Portrait Gallery; Locating must be received by May 1, 2005. To apply, please fax, email or mail and researching existing Society of your resume with three professional the Cincinnati Eagle insignia badges Internship Opportunity at the references bv tv1arch 30, 2005 to: for a survey of those owned by original McFaddin-Ward House Ware Petznick, Ph.D., Curator of SOCiety members; Preparing reference The successful candidate will enjoy Collections, McFaddin-Ward House, notebooks for each of the museum working with a unique collection in 725 Third St., Beaumont, TX, 77706; rooms to contain artifact information Southeast Texas at an AAM accredited E-mail: [email protected]; and locations to assist docents on tours. museum. The McFaddin-Ward House Phone: (409) 832-1906; Website: Applicants should he students who will is a gem. Mamie McFaddin Ward lived http://www.mcfaddin-ward.org have completed at least three years of most of her life here in this Beaux-Arts > continued on poge 12 Please submit a one-page abstract and POBox 4400, Fredericton, NB, CALLS FOR PAPERS, ARTICLES, a brief CV with contact information Canada Em 5A3;E-mail: PROPOSALS AND PRESENTATIONS by March 1, 2005 to: Lindsey Reed, [email protected]. Managing Editor, The Public Historian, Or contact: Beverly Lemire, Call for Annual Meeting Site Proposals Department of History, University of Department of History and Classics, The National Council on Public California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, 2-28 Henry Marshall Tory Building, History seeks site proposals for its E-mail: [email protected]. University of Alberta, Edmonton, annual meetings beginning with the AB, Canada T6G 2H4; E-mail: year 2007. Proposals should include the Northeast American Sodety for 18th-Century lemire®Ualberta.ca. following information: A statement of Studies Conference: liThe Eighteenth-Century Visit the website at why the site is appropriate for the Everyday: Remembrance and Representation." http://www.lInb.ca/conferences/neasecs/ NCPH annual meeting; Information Women's diaries, a row of city shop regarding support from local individuals, fronts, midwifery practices, a coffee liThe Library in the Life of the Reader": institutions, and agencies that could cup, a frock coat and treasured A Special Issue 01 Library Quarterly work together to plan a successful pincushions may seem discordant The study of historical and cultural conference. Letters of intent would elements; but they represent different aspects of readers and reading is a new strengthen the proposal; Potential aspects of training, expectation and but fast-growing area that overlaps arrangements for meeting facilities, expression in eighteenth-century life. with the history of the book and of hotels, and transportation, with This era laid the foundation for modern print culture, and draws on the theories approximate costs; Proposed dates for life. Scholars have spent increasing and methodologies of history, literary the meeting, generally between March energies discovering and deciphering criticism, cultural studies, and sociology. 15 and May 1; Any other details that these phenomena. An interdisciplinary But reading researchers have tended to might strengthen the proposal. Since perspective is essential for a full overlook libraries as subject for study, the NCPH Board of Directors considers elucidation of quotidian practices, thereby missing an important context proposals at its spring and fall meetings, and this conference addresses this in which reading commonly takes a representative or representatives of need. place. Library Quarterly is interested in the host institution{s) should plan to research that explores the ways in which present and discuss the site proposal. To be hosted in Fredericton, contemporary and historically situated For more information, contact the New Brunswick, by the University groups and indi,'iduals encounter public, NCPH Executive Offices at (317) of New Brunswick, the conference academic, school, special, private and 274-2716; Email: [email protected]. will be an exploration of the everyday. other types of libraries. Library Quarterly Send completed proposals to: The conference organizing committee anticipates examples uf reader groU[lS NCPH Executive Offices, IUPUI, in collaboration with the Northeast to be distinguished by their occupancy 425 University Boulevard - Cavanaugh American Society for Eighteenth of a particular time period (including 327, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-5140. Century Studies (NEASECS) invite the present) as well as social, cultural papers to address the eighteenth-century and geographic place. They might The editorial staff of The Public Historian everyday from cross-cultural and multi include, for example, racial and ethnic is creating an electronic index of its disciplinary perspectives. The international minorities, immigrants, religious contents, and seeks the help of authors. conference will be held from September organizations, children, rural residenrs, If you published an article in the journal 30 to October 2, 2005. The conference interest group members llr the GLBT between 1978 and 1995 and would like welcomes papers in the study of literature, community. to write your own abstract and select visual arts, music and history, cultural key terms for the electronic index, studies, women's studies, critical theory, Submissions should conform to style please contact Managing Editor Lindsey as well as material culture studies, in any conventions found in the library Reed at [email protected]. Articles national,)r cultural context. Particularly Quarterly (~ee http://www.jLlumaL. not abstracted by their authors will be welcome are papers exploring the need uchicago.edu/LQ/instruct. html), abstracted by graduate students working for, and the uses of, technology in the not to exceed 6,000 w,lrds (excluding on the index project. Abstracts for interpretation of the past. The deadline endnotes), and be accompanied by a articles published after 1995 have for submissions is April 15, 2005. lOO-word abstract. E-mailed submissions already been written, but authors of For more information, contact: as an attachment in Word or PDF these more recent articles are invited Corey Slum koski, Department format are encouraged. to select key terms. of History, University of New Brunswick, For more information, contact: The Journal of Women's History is soliciting Visit the website at Christine Pawley, School of library articles for a special issue on domestic http://www .press. jhu .edu/journals/ and Information Science, The violence, guest edited by Megan journal_oCwomens_history/ University of Iowa, 3074 Main library, !v1cLaughlin and Elizaheth Pleck. We guidelines.html )O\,,-a City, lA, 52242-1420; Phone: seek manuscripts from the broadest (319) 335-5711; Fax:(319) 335-5374; possible chronological, geographical, Email: [email protected]. and methodological range, and from CONFERENCES AND LEOURE SERIES Vi~it the website at http://mingo.info individuals residing around the world. ~cicnce.uiowa.edu/-pawley/CFPLQ04. For the purposes of this issue, domestic html \>iolence is very broadly defined NCHE Conference-"Conflirt and Cooperation to mean emotional, physical, and in History" The Midlands Frontier Regional ~exual "iolence occurring within the Join hundreds of teachers, academics Studies; Seminar household, including (but not limited and curriculum specialists at the 2005 TIle Midlands Frontier Regional w) female infanticide, sen'ant abuse, National Council for History Education Studie~ Seminar (MFRSS) seeks marital rape, etc. (NCHE) Conference "Conflict and par,ers examining the history and Cooperation in History" as they interpretation of the Tenne~see and The editors arc especially interested in: welcome noted biographer, David Cumberland River Valleys and related the relationship of domestic violence McCullough to the Hilton Pittsburgh are,,~ between 1600 and 1850. Npw tn notions of shame and honor the & Towers. The conference rum entering our third year, the ~1FRSS relationship of domestic violence to April 21 - 23, 2005. is multidisciplinary and w~lcomes public and private space changing contrihutions from anthropologist~, attrihutions of the causes of domestic Located at the forks of the Ohio, and at geo;.>rarhers, academic and puhlic violence changing representations of the confluence of the Monongahela and his')ri~ms, and other humanists and domestic "iolence in popular culture, Allegheny Rivers, the "Point" attracted social scientists as well as independent in law and religion, in media of any George Washington due to its strategic sch'JL',·s. The MFRSS hopes to give t\'pe changing definitiom of the importance on behalf of the Virginia researchers studying the region's early boundan· between acceptable and colony. The "Point" shuuld attract you history the opportunity to present illegitimate domestic violence in 2005 due to the tactical teaching and di~'cuss their work in an informal the relationship of domestic violence advantage to be gained in the classroom. setting. Papers will be distributed to discourses of power and difference Attend a myriad of sessions, exhibits electronically to participants in ad"ance community regulation of domestic and field trips reflecting the conference of (lur meetings to encourage comment violence changing understandings theme which provide practical pointers and exchange. The seminar meets one of woman as "victim." on combining content and pedagogy. Wednesday afternoon a month during The conference concurrent sessions the academic year in the downtown The deadline for submissions is also feature four strands: T AH grants, Nashville Public library's Nashville Decemher 1, 2005. Please send four Elementary, French & Indian War, and Room conference area. For more one-sided, double-spaced copies of World History. Conference Highlights information, including schedules and your manuscript (no more than 10,000 include keynote speaker David directions, consult the MFRSS website ~n)fds, including endnotes and figures) McCullough who will discuss the rich at: http://www.mtsu.edu/-lnelson/ to Journal of Women's History at the history of Pittsburgh as a lens through MFRSS.html. Paper proposals should address below. Mark the envelope which to view all of US History. Fred include a 200 word abstract and "Attention: Megan McLaughlin and Anderson, historian at the University of I-page resume or cv. The deadline Elizabeth Pleck." For more details on Colorado and author, will be discLlssing for submissions for the 2005-2006 our submission policy see our website. George Washington and the French & academic year is 1 August 2005. Journal of Women's History Indian War. Bill Tsutsui, director of the Address submissions to: Lvnn A. c/o Department of Historv > continued on page 14 Nelson, Department of History, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Campus Box 23, Middle Tennessee 309 Gregory Hall, MC466 State University Murfreesboro, 810 S. Wright St., Urbana, IL 61801 TN 37132; Fax: (615) 898-5881; Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] and [email protected] Center for East Asian Studies at of environmental decision making? CALL FOR ANNUAL the University of Kansas, will speak How are different ideals associated MEETING SITE PROPOSALS about the 100th anniversary of the with natural heritage reflected in Russo-Japanese War and its impact environmental and natural resource on World and US History. PBS management policies and practices? The National Council on Public Filmmakers Ben Loeterman and Eric Hmv do environmental issues relate History seeks site proposals Stange will talk about a documentary's to health concerns? Finally, tourism, principles of selection (what to put in, as one of the world's largest industries, for its annual meetings what to leave out, and what's important is increasingly being cast in the terms beginning in the year 2007. of a good story) as they relate to their of both cultural and natural heritage. latest documentary, "The War That What does the increased popularity Proposals should include the Made America." of such tourism "niches" as heritage following information: tourism and ecotourism imply for the For more information contact: Anastasia conservation of local heritage practices • A statement of why the site is Birosh, National Council for History and the preservation of popular "natural" appropriate for the NCPH Education, 26915 W estw( lOd Road, places? What are the roles played by annual meeting. Suite B-2,Westlake, Ohio 44145; museums in the presentation of heritage • Information regarding support Phone: (440) 835-1776; Fax: (440) and the promotion of cultural tourism! from local individuals, institutions, 835-1295; E-mail: [email protected]. In keeping with the Society's interdisciplinary and agencies that could work To register online, visit the website roots, the Program Committee invites together to plan a successful at http://www.nche.net. the participation of a wide variety of conference. Letters of intent professionals, including anthropologists, would strengthen the proposal. "Heritage Environment and Tourism" archaeologists, geographers, sociologists, Meetings of the Society for Applied folklorists, public historians, tourism • Potential arrangements for meeting Anthropology. researchers and practitioners, natural facilities, hotels, and transportation, The conference "Heritage Environment scientists w,)rking on environmental with approximate costs. and Tourism" will take rlace April 5-10, issues, museum professionals, and other • Proposed dates for the meeting, 2005 at the La Fonda Hotel iI} Santa Fe, professionals in the areas listed below. generally between 1 5 March New Mexicu. The Santa Fe meetings The active involvement of anthropologist.; and 1 May. provide an excellent locale for exploring and other professionals who are employed • Any other details that might the closely related themes of Heritage, outside of academia is encouraged. strengthen the proposal. Environment &. Tuurism. In its own right, heritage has hecome a major focal For additional information or to make Since the NCPH Board of Directors point t()f national, regional and local suggestions regarding the program considers proposals at its spring development initiati\·es. As heritage theme or other matters related to and fall meetings, a representative is seen to have huth external and the professiunal program contact: or representatives of the host internal value, how can we participate Erve Chambers, c/o Society for in such areas as heritage llevelopment Applied Anthropology, P.O. Box 2436, institution(s) should plan to present and resource management while still Oklahoma City, OK 73101-2436; and discuss the site proposal. defending the rights of communities Phone: (405) 843-5113; and other groups to contml how [email protected]. For more information, contact their heritages are represented? In the NCPH Executive Offices a similar manner, the environment National Preservation Institute at 317.274.2716 or by email: is increasingly heing "iewed as a kind The 2005 schedule of the National [email protected] of "natural heritage," implying a strong Presen'atinn Institute's Professional association between envirunmental Seminars in Historic Preservation Send completed proposals to: conservation and human associations and Cultural Resource Management NCPH Executive Offices - IUPUI with the environment. What does this is now available. For further information 425 University Boulevard - tendency suggest in tenns of understanding visit the organization's website: Cavanaugh 327 and negotiating different stakeholder http://www.npi.org; direct e-mail Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-5140 interests related to particular acts queries to: [email protected]. ------""ll~
Seventh Conference on Women and the Civil War INTERNET JOBS AND POSITIONS AVAILABLE The Seventh Conference on Women and the Civil War, sponsored by The Society of Women and the Civil War In Motion: The African-American ExplorePAhistory.com Project Manager in partnership with The Virginia Center Migration Experience ExplorePAhistory.com is a website for Civil War Studies will be held June The Institute of Museum and Library project developed by WITF and the 3,5,2005 at Virginia Tech University Sen'ices is proud to announce its PA Historical and Museum CommissiOJ in Blacksburg, Virginia. For information support of "In Motion: The African We are seeking an individual to manag' about the conference, including mail-in American Migration Experience." this project who will implement action registration materials, visit Created by New York Public Library's plans, track schedules and deadlines, http://www.womenandthecivilwar.org/ Schomburg Center for Research in coordinate grant applications and 2005/200S.htm For on-line registration Black Culture, the groundbreaking new fulfillment, supen'ise business plan visit http://www.conted.vt.edu/cwwomen/. \Xleb site makes accessible to the general development and execution, coordinate public more than] 6,500 pages of essays, promotion and publicity, and act as the Thirteenth Berkshire Conference books, articles, and manuscripts, 8,300 information hub for ExploreP Ahistority .cor on the History of Women illustrations, 100 lesson plans, and 60 historians, teachers, media and web Registration is now open for the maps that ,viII help users understand professionals, and other interested Thil1eenth Berkshire Conference on the peoples, places, and the e\'ents parries. Our chosen candidate will the History which will be held at Scripps that have shaped African America's coordinate the activities of a mixture College in Claremont, California from migration traditions of the past four of team members working on this June 2 to June 5. This year's theme is hundred years. The project is made educational project. Additional "Sin Fronteras: Women's Histories, Global possible in part by a $2.4 million dollar responsibilities include: supervising Conversations." For more information, to grant from the Institute of Museum the uploading of new stories, producing see the program, and to register, please and Library Services with the support monthly progress reports, and visit the Berkshire Conference website of the Congressional Black Caucus. monitoring the budget. The Project at http://www.berksconference.org Other project components include Manager will also work with our the book, In Motion: The African Director of Philanthropic Initiatives ((PH Annual Conference American Migratiun Experience, released to prepare proposals, our Sales The California Council for the Promotion by National Geographic in January Department to secure corporate of History will hold its 2005 annual 2005; a Black History Month education underwriting, and our Director of conference in Visalia, California, October kit comprised of illustrations and Educational Services to develop and 27,29,2005. With the theme "Telling photographs, maps, lesson plans and execute a revenue-based educational the Stories: From History to Myth," the a hibliography; and an exhibition in plan for ExplorePAhistory.com. The conference will offer a variety of programs the Schomburg Center Exhibition ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's sure to please any taste, from conference Hall. Through images, maps, narrath'cs degree in history or a related field; panels and paper sessions, to guest speakers, and music, the exhibition presents, proven ability to manage a project Our annual awards luncheon and banquet, chronicles, and interprets the migratory and build/coordinate a team; and have to tours and other activities. For updated movements that have formed and a familiarity with website architecture information on the conference, visit our transformed the African-American and processes. This position will report website at http://www.csus.edu/org/ccph, community and the nation in the to WITF's Senior Vice President for or send us an email at [email protected] to last century. Visit the Web site at Content Development. WITF is an be added to the conference mailing list. \\'ww.inmotionaame.org . Equal Opportunity Employer. Contact Info: WITF, Inc., Human Resources The Institute also encourages Department, 1982 Locust Lane, partnerships to expand the educational Harrisburg, P A 17109; Phone: benefit of libraries and museums. To 1-800-366-9483; Fax: (717) 236,4628; learn more about the Institute, please Email: [email protected]; log onto: http://www.imls.gov. Website: http://www.witf.org > continued on page 16 Research Professor-Center for Historic Qualifications: A doctoral degree in Starting salary is $34,500.00. Preservation, Middle Tennessee Historic Preservation, History, Regional Excellent benefits package. Required State University. Planning, or a related field, with three Qualifications: Master's degree in Position Description: Full-time years of professional experience in library science, history, or related position, twelve-month annual Historic Preservation. Applicants discipline with degree concentration schedule. Duties and Responsibilities. must file 1.) MTSU Application for in archival studies or supplemented Serves as lead historian for programs, Employment (available on MTSU by archival courses, seminars, or projects, and publications of the website) 2.) comprehensive resume practica; One year experience Center for Historic Preservation 3.) three letters of reference 4.) appraising, arranging, and describing (CHP), a Center of Excellence at transcripts of all college work and, archival records; Ability to collect, Middle Tennessee State University. 5.) no more than three examples of organize, research, and interpret professional publications, reports, or records and submit written descriptions Responsible for the performance of documents. Mail to Dr. Carroll Van of record groups and collections; a wide and complex variety of tasks West, Director, MTSU Center for Demonstrated, practical knowledge regarding the identification, assessment, Historic Preservation, Box 80, of archival policies and procedures; enhancement, and preservation Murfreesboro, TN 37132. All materials Ability to \vork harmoniously and planning of cultural resources within must be received by May 1, 2005. effectively with others; Ability to the programs and projects of the Position begins on date dependent work independently and to exercise CHP. Administrative tasks pertain on funding. discretion, initiative, and judgment; to project development, grant Familiarity with major word processing development, management, and Archivist-History Associates Incorporated and database softv,'are packages. Send coordination responsibilities, and History Associates Incorporated is resume, sample finding aid, transcripts, the meeting of related needs of the looking for a qualified archivist who and names and phone numbers of CHP's projects and programs. Major enjoys varied, interesting, and challenging three references to: Doris Miles, program involvement in the CHP's work. This position is based in the History Associates Incorporated, Town and Country Preservation scenic Hudsl)(1 Ri\'er Valley and offers 300 N. Stonestreet Avenue, Rochille, Program, the African-American the opportunity tll work for a Fortune MD 20850 FAX: 301-279-9224. Historic Places project, and the 500 company. The archivist will arrange Tennessee Civil War National and descrihe corporate records as part of Included job announcement on Heritage Area will be required. a team located in Kingston, New York. correspondence. Incomplete Preferred research fields are Duties include establishing an archival packages will not be considered. architectural history, southern arrangement fl)r corporate records, while Position posted until filled. History history, and history of technology. placing them in appropriate archival Associates is an Equal Opportunity The successful candidate will have housing; describing the records by Employer. For more infnrmation demonstrable skills and three years means of an electronic database; about History Associates Incorporatell, experience in rural preservation and providing Sl)me reference services. visit the website at planning, National Register of Historic HAL an archival, records management, http://wwww.hisroryassociates.Cl )01. Places nomination, and architectural historical sernces firm located in and/or historical fieldwork. Teaching Rockville, Maryland, operates nation Editorial/Research Assistant responsibilities will include the wide. Clients include corporations, Papers of Thomas Jefferson supervision of graduate research associations, non-profit organizations, Full-time position with benefits assistants, interns, and fellows who and state, lucal, and federal governments. at the Papers of Thomas Jefferson: are assigned at, or who are undertaking Our archi\'ists and records managers Retirement Series to support internships or residencies, at the perform a wide range of archival and letterpress and electronic publication CHP. It is expected that the position's records management activities with of Jefferson's letters. Responsihilities field projects and programs will professiLmal support and guidance include: tracking down and copying regularly integrate learning and from senior staff. HAl affords recent research materials; answering a wide training opportunities for students graduates with the oprortunity range of research questions; checking from MTSU and other institutions. to develop professionally and stages of editorial output, including learn new skills. galleys and page proofs; checking annotation; participating in textual ------
verification of handwritten manuscripts; Duties: Position requires a scholar Environmental Consulting Firm and other projects as assigned. with the ability to teach the broad We are a \X1 estchester -based environmel1' Requirements include knowledge of sweep of American history, an interest consulting firm seeking a full-time ear;y ;lineteenth-century history; ability in \\urkin~ in a crl'
The following Patrons and Sponsors have demonstrated their commitment to NCPH in 2005 by providing additional funds to support our programs and operations. NCPH greatly appreciates the continued support of these institutions.
Super Patron The History Channel
Patrons American Association for State and Local History Department of History, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis Historical Research Associates, Inc. National Park Service
Sponsors Arizona State University, University of Maryland Baltimore University of West Georgia, Department of History County, Department of Department of History University of Arkansas, Little History Western Michigan University, Rock, Department of History Middle Tennessee State Department of History California State University University, Department of State University of New York Chico, Department of History Albany, Department of HIstory History Oklahoma State University, Chicago Historical Society Department of History California State University JRP Historical Consulting Sacramento, Department of University of South Carolina, Missouri Historical Society History Department of History ODAM/HistoricaIOffice, James Madison University, Washington State University, Department of Defense Department of History Department of History Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Loyola University of Chicago, University of Waterloo, Canada, Commission Department of History Department of History Truman Presidential Library
For information about becoming a Patron or Sponsor, please contact NCPH Executive Director, David Vanderstel at 317274.2718 or email him at [email protected].
Thank You For Your Support
The National Council on Public History rWllllltes the Executive Director, Cavanaugh 327, lUPLJI,425 University application of historical scholarshir llutside the university in Blvd., Indianarolis, IN 46202-5140; (317) 274-2716; government, business, historical societies, rreservation E-mail: [email protected]. organizations, archives, libraries, rrufessional associations, and public interest groups. For change of address, write UC Press, 2000 Center For details contact NCPH President Shawn Babaian, St., Suite 303, Berkeley, CA 94704-1223. Canada Science and Technology Museum, PO Box 9724, Station T, Ottawa, ONT, Canada, KIG 5A3; (613) 991-3029; Submissions to Public History News should be sent to [email protected]; or Da\'id G. Vanderstel, NCPH David G. Vanderste/, Editor, at the address abm'e. The Nevada Test Site The National Park Service History Program Oral History Project Book Notes is pleased to announce the following 12 month Fellowships for MA and PhD publications are now available on ~tudents working on all aspects of this the web. multidisciplinary effort to record the The Changing Face of Public History: remarkable stories of the men and women The Chicago Historical Society and the Historic Places Commemorating who worked, protested or lived with the Transformation of an American Museum. the Signing of the Constitution Nevada Test Site during its first half Over the past half century, the Chicago http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online century. Funded with $900,000 in grants Historical Society (CHS) has sponsored _books/constitution/index.htm from the Department of Energy and the multicultural exhibits and programs, Department of Education. engaged in community outreach, and (Lewis and Clark) Historic Places raised questions about who has the Commemorating Their Transcontinental Preserve Nevada America's only student authority to interpret the past. Most Exploration ( 1804-06) run statewide preservation organi::ation. American history museums are currently http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online Housed in the UNLV history department struggling to redefine the traditional _books/lewisandclark/index.htm and run by students under the direction of concepts of what a museum is and advisors and a nationally recognized board how it should operate, but few have Historic Places Commemorating the of directors Preserve Nevada offers students been as bold as CHS. Drawing on the Signing of the Declaration of Independence a remarkable apprenticeship in historic most recent research in the field, http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online preservation on ~ state and national level. Catherine M. Lewis analyzes CHS's _books/declaration/index.htm evolving relationship with its . National Park History Field Schools. Based constituencies over the past century Historic Places Commemorating the out of the UNLV history department the and a half, with particular emphasis Chief Executives of the United States NPS History Field schools take on the post-war period, and compares http://\\'\\'w .cr .nps.gov/h istory /online graduate students from a variety of different its developments to the changing roles _books/presidents/index.htm}. disciplines into National Parks during of other museums and historic sites. intensive summer sessions to leam how In addition, please visit the NPS Classic to apply historical research methods to Based on more than 250 inten'iews with Publications web page where you will the specific problems facing NPS cultural staff at CHS and museums around the find many older publications dating resource management staff. In the summer country, as well as research into formerly back to 1912 Classic National Park of 2005 students will be in Yosemite inaccessible public and private papers, Sen'ice Publications National Park's spectacular high Sierra this book gives readers a remarkable (http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online region researching historic trails and camps. opportunity to see how one of the most _books/c1assics.htm) . innovate museums in the United States UNL V public history students also have grappled with issue that continue to many other intemship opportw1ities with confront museum professionals and all local, regional and national agencies and those concerned about the role history organizations. plays in the lives of American citizens. The Changing Face of Public History For infonnation on Graduate studies in blends a careful review of the literature History and Public History at UNLV and comparison between other contact: institutions with a sustained evaluation UNL V Department of History of a single institution and is the only 4505 Maryland Parkway case study of its kind in the field Box 455020 (184pp. 0-87580-602-3 $22.00 paper). Las Vegas, NV 89154-5020 (702)895-3349 Email: [email protected] Moil to: University of California Press NCPH Membership Application 2000 Center St., Suite 303 Berkeley, CA 94704-1223, Special 15% Introductory Offer for New Members Email: [email protected] I would like to become a member of the National Council Payment Options: on Public History and receive a year's subscription to The Public o Check enclosed. (Payable to the UC Regents) Historian and Public History News as part of my new membership. o Purchase Order. (Enclosed-prepayment reqllireJ) o Individual $ 51.00 (regular, $60.00) \..J Visa 0 Mastercard Expiration Date _____ o Student (with copy of 10) $ 21.25 (regular, $25.00) o New Professional $ 29.75 (regular, $35.00) Account#______o Institutions $108.80 (regular, $128.00) Signature______Outside USA? Please add $20.00 to cover postage. Canada residents add 7% GST (,:RI22058662) Name______Special memberships ore also available Organization & Dept. ______o Sponsor $250 0 Patron $500 Address or Bldg. & Mail Code______Please direct inquires and payments for these memberships to: NCPH Executive Offices, 425 University Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46202,317-274-2716. City/State/Country/Zip______
Payments to NCPH are not deductible as charitable contributions for Email ______federal income tax purposes. However, they may be deductible under other provisions of the Internol Revenue Code. NCPH tax number: 52-1210-174
r~rrErOHT'if.~IJ..,n-; ~ FIt;:;T CI.:P;S~, ; ; US PC?TAGE ,i .: PAID . !l~ii~:~i;F;.~~L.~?S c;}J I Public History N~ ~...... -~--.,.,--~-~,j,
National (oundl on Public History 327 Cavanaugh Hall-IUPUI 425 University Blvd Indianapolis, IN 46202-5140
ISSN 08912610
Editor: David G. Vanderstel Editorial Assistants: Bethany Natoli and Dono Word