I have hesitated to get involved in this thread, because I am now an academic
and some may find that disqualifying. But, as someone who has spent 25 plus
years now moving back and forth between academia and public history
institutions, including several years as a consultant, I can't stay out any
longer.
     In general, if you think the situation is bad now, you should have been
around 25 years ago. It is much, much better at most institutions. In academia
old prejudices die hard, actually they don't really die they become emeriti
and get off the committees and stop working with students:-) I've worked with,
and under the direction of people, who did not think Catholics or women were
capable of serious intellectual work (this was in the early 70s when I was in
grad school). Those attitudes have almost entirely passed on; the anti-museum,
or public history, bias is fading fast, except at elite schools that have
never really been interested in anything but training research scholars
anyway. They consider it a failure when their PhDs teach at colleges outside a
certain circle. You just can't let people like that get to you. If I had
listened to the people who doubted the ability of Cathoics to do serious
intellectual work I would be doing something else now. You prove those people
wrong by succeeding. They do get it, too, at least in part. I have since been
introduced by one of the curmudgeons as "one of the university's finest
products." So, hang in there and be true to yourself and what you believe in
-- if necessary find a university that will nurture you and your goals -- they
do exist.
     I was invited to join the faculty at Murray State eight years ago to
start a public history MA that has heavily emphasized museums studies. My
colleagues, all traditional academics, have been very supportive of me and all
of my graduate students without exception and they share my pride in the
success of our graduates quite openly and publicly. No one here doubts the
value of museum work as a professional goal for our students. There are many
place like this in addition to Murray State -- Delaware, Southeast Missouri,
Middle Tennessee, Southwest Texas, South Carolina, Santa Barbara, Southwest
Louisiana, to name a few I am more than casually familiar with. There are many
other places where you will be welcomed and find all the intellectual support
you need.
Bill Mulligan



William H. Mulligan, Jr.
Associate Professor of History
Director, Forrest C. Pogue Public History Institute
Murray State University
Murray KY 42071-3341
270/762-6571 Fax 270/762-6587

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