Upcoming Exhibitions WINTER 2018 MORE THAN SELF: LIVING THE VIETNAM WAR Cyclorama RESTORATION UPDATES Physical Updates OLGUITA’S GARDEN Visitor Experiences MIDTOWN ENGAGEMENT Partnerships ATL COLLECTIVE WINTER 2018 WINTER 2017 HISTORY MATTERS . TABLE OF CONTENTS 02–07 22–23 Introduction Kids Creations More than Self: Living the Vietnam War Living the Vietnam than Self: More 08–15 24–27 Exhibition Updates FY17 in Review 16–18 28 Physical Updates Accolades 19 29–33 Midtown Engagement History Makers Cover Image | Boots worn by American soldier in Vietnam War and featured in exhibition, in exhibition, and featured War American soldier in Vietnam by Image worn | Boots Cover 20–21 34–35 Partnerships Operations & Leadership ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER WINTER 2017 NEWSLETTER INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION History is complex, hopeful, and full of fascinating stories of As I walk through the new spaces of our campus, I think back everyday individuals. The people who have created the story of Atlanta through 91 years of institutional history. We should all be proud and are both remarkable and historic. The Atlanta History Center, has amazed at the achievements and ongoing changes that have taken done a great job of sharing the comprehensive stories of Atlanta, place since a small group of 14 historically minded citizens gathered in MESSAGE our region, and its people to the more than 270,000 individuals we MESSAGE 1926 to found the Atlanta Historical Society, which has since become serve annually. Atlanta History Center. The scope and impact of the Atlanta History Center has expanded As Atlanta’s History Center of today, we understand we must find significantly, and we have reached significant milestones. During the innovative ways to steward our historical assets of the past while five-year tenure of Sheffield Hale, we have successfully raised more engaging the new museum constituents of the future. We live in times FROM THE than $50 million in capital funds and $15 million in endowment for FROM requiring us to acknowledge that history—historic change—happens recent, and ongoing, expansive enhancements to our 33-acre History before our eyes. We believe we must collect, document, and tell stories Center campus. Thanks to successful fundraising efforts, combined as events happen, thus making clear the relevance of today’s historic with prudent management decisions by staff, and the continued events to the history of the past. History is not only what happened CHAIR generosity of our members and supporters, I am pleased to report THE CEO years ago, but what happened yesterday and is changing today. that we are in a strong fiscal position. (See page 34). Our goal is to make history matter, as suggested by our newly named We are an Atlanta institution that has reinvigorated its commitment and redesigned member publication that you hold. History matters Ernest Greer to greater public understanding of history and its vital relevance today. Sheffield Hale every day, and a better understanding of our shared past has the power At the same time, we are focused on the support and encouragement to affect change. Chair, Board of Trustees of historical scholarship, and the education of young people. President & CEO We are redefining the way people think about, learn about, and Our various permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as interact with history—and the Atlanta History Center. We seek to extensive offerings of monthly and annual programs for adults, enhance the lives of those who come to us, whether they are school children, teens, families, and teachers, are the tangible expressions children or scholars, by giving them fresh, profound, meaningful, and of our mission. They are designed to stimulate and foster an thoughtful frameworks for analyzing history, interpreting current understanding and appreciation of our rich cultural heritage, promote events, and anticipating the future. historical accuracy, and inspire a passion for learning. This past year, we welcomed 20,000 family members to annual The History Center today plays a critical role in the educational family programs, including Sheep to Shawl, Juneteenth, Haunted infrastructure of our region. Over the last fiscal year, we engaged Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, and Candlelight Nights. And our more than 30,100 students with our school tours, served more than vibrant, ongoing author program series improves our ability to 27,000 students through classroom outreach, and saw more than confront the challenges of today with dialog and debate that appeals 17,500 high school students participate in our annual Poetry Out Loud to a broad, curious audience eager to better understand our lives, competition, held in partnership with the National Endowment for communities, and shared future. More than 7,000 people joined us the Arts. Together that is almost 75,000 school children who we have for 51 author programs over the past year, featuring luminaries such reached in one year, and we look forward to growing that number in as J.D. Vance, Jodi Piccoult, Ibram Kendi, and Anthony Doerr. the coming years. The Kenan Research Center staff fulfilled more than 30,000 Most recently, we have focused on expanding the History Center’s research requests over the last year. And thanks to the generosity infrastructure and unifying our research and programs to align with of a $400,000 grant awarded by the Watson-Brown Foundation, the our mission. Next, we want to concentrate on dissolving our walls and Kenan Research Center—the heart of the History Center’s holdings cultivating new partnerships and programs that will help us deliver —will expand its footprint by 63%, securing needed space to grow our mission to a broader public. archival collections for the next 40 years or more. The History Center staff and board are enthusiastically moving By early 2018, we will open a dedicated space housing our new forward with its recent strategic plan (see pages 3-4). With an museum shop as well as welcoming Brash Coffee onto our campus as a emphasis on inclusivity, community, service, and relevance, we are guest amenity. And in November 2018, the new Cyclorama experience, looking to expand our public engagement and outreach activities featuring The Battle of Atlanta painting and the Texas locomotive, throughout Metro Atlanta, and beyond, while also fostering opens to the public. This state-of-the-art experience is being designed new collaborations and partnerships within Atlanta and Georgia’s to utilize a multitude of exhibition and technology resources to cultural sector. interpret the painting, not only in the context of a single battle, but We have forged new partnerships with local organizations including in a national context of a country divided by war and Atlanta’s pivotal the UGA Extension, part of the University of Georgia, to found the place in deciding the outcome. Placed in a fuller context, the painting Atlanta History Center 4-H Community Club, which directly served will be used to tell not only the stories of the Atlanta Campaign, but more than 520 youth over the last fiscal year. In partnership with ATL the significance of the Civil War and Civil War memory in national Collective, we welcomed more than 700 music and history fans to a history—then and now. concert designed to celebrate the Allman Brothers’ Eat a Peach album, What we want to convey to our visitors is that we are an institution while giving a nod to the 1970 Atlanta International Pop Festival. that seeks to engage our visitors in difficult, complex, and sometimes Through bold community collaboration, the Atlanta History Center unresolved issues, provoking them to think differently about the is primed to take the important next steps toward sustainability and past and gain new appreciation on why history matters. As Atlanta’s increased impact. We are excited about the future, but we also want History Center, we want to present history as exciting, dynamic, and to thank first and foremost our members, donors, staff, and board of consequential to our present. trustees for their continued support and involvement. Together we look forward to the continued growth of your Atlanta History Center. ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER WINTER 2017 NEWSLETTER 5 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION In January 2017, the board of trustees INITIATIVE NO. 1 | INCLUSIVITY INITIATIVE NO. 4 | RELEVANCE adopted a new strategic plan for the Become an inclusive institution, Become better known. Atlanta History Center. Created through representative of the demographics OUR MISSION GOALS a series of board and staff meetings and of Metro Atlanta with a specific focus + Show up where we are not expected feedback sessions, this strategic plan on touching more “under 50s”, and use history to inform, and get includes six initiatives that will guide non-whites, and those who live in zip involved in, multiple big local, regional, our organization through 2020. codes throughout Metro Atlanta. and national issues so more people know who we are, where we are Our Platform GOALS located, and what we stand for. Our authority is derived from our + Increase the number of “under 50s”, + Operationalize repositioning by evidence-based interpretations and our non-whites, and those who live in zip implementing content production, professionally developed collections, codes beyond those in North Atlanta campus activation, a new website archives, gardens, and programs. who visit our campus + By the end of FY18, establish methods launch, and a multi-year campaign resulting in greater recognition of new Our Audience to capture data and establish a baseline Atlanta History Center brand. Anyone who lives in or visits from which to grow. Metro Atlanta. INITIATIVE NO. 5 | GROWTH INITIATIVE NO. 2 | COMMUNITY Enhance Financial Strength. Our Vision Become a community resource Connect people, culture, and history. and connector. GOALS + Diversify income sources. GOALS + Expand the status quo by entering + Seek creative and new grant sources.