Well said, Carrie. As with any topic, we cannot stereotype any one
institution or group of people, or even the museum profession because so
many social, geographical and individual factors are involved. Many places
are doing amazing work with diverse staff members, advisors and programs.

However, when I read John Suau's comments, I quickly returned to my
experience as a graduate student when I proposed a statewide museum
informational survey on diversity issues in staffing, collections,
programming etc.

This was in a major Anthropology department, as objective as could be. Let
me just say I ran into so many "obstacles" in making it happen I "chose" to
switch topics. This was in 1988. Have we progressed?

Sandra L. Harris
Executive Director
The Liberace Foundation and Museum
1775 East Tropicana Avenue
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
702-798-5595 phone
702-798-7386 fax
[log in to unmask]
www.liberace.org
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carrie Beauchamp" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2000 12:45 PM
Subject: Diversity


Thank you, for your comments! I am also wondering about this, but
didn't have the excuse of writing a paper to ask about it. Doesn't anyone
have any comments? Come on, people!

I know that a diversity initiatives are certainly NOT "common to all
museums". It certainly is a trend, even in small and non-urban museums,  to
include "diversity" in exhibits, and in some cases this is a big step.

However, I think this is only the first level. What about hiring practices,
collections policies, programming? I know a lot of the better-funded museums
are doing more collaborative projects with targeted communities, in many
aspects of museum work-- not just exhibits. But I also know some other
museums (small and large) which seem to consider diversity a non-issue once
they get a couple of brown faces represented in their galleries.

The barriers to diversity? Well, start with a homogenous staff-- I work
in a museum with an all-white, middle class, U.S.-born staff. We have Plains
Indian objects in the collection, and on exhibit, but how INVESTED are any
of
us (the staff) in the Native American community?  Wouldn't that exhibit be
more powerful if the people these object represent were to speak for
themselves instead of through white curators? Wouldn't Native Americans be
more likely to come to the museum as visitors? Wouldn't their increased
visitation encourage young Native Americans to go into museum careers? Its
all connected.

Another barrier to collaboration is the inherently political nature of it.
Its certainly easier to avoid the issue than to risk engaging it. Your
efforts could backfire, your curatorial authority may be undermined, you may
have to face "ugly" aspects of your beloved town's history, you may be
uncomfortable with cultural differences... Then again, it could be
tremendously rewarding.

Another can-o-worms... In what ways is it better for individual ethnic and
religious communities to start their own museums rather than working with
established "generic" museums? What would museums look like if there was no
racism-- melting pot? or celebrating differences?

I'm being deliberately controversial here because I can't believe no one has
commented on this important issue. Ill let you all jump in now!

Carrie Beauchamp, Registrar (etc.)
CFD Old West Museum
Cheyenne, Wyoming
(This rant certainly does NOT reflect the opinion of my employer!)

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