Let's try to keep in mind here, that the issue being discussed was not
original with me; it originated in an African-American history class thirty
years ago, when I was told by the African-American students that I should
not be there because I was incapable of understanding the Black experience
in America.
I dropped the class because the environment was hostile and must admit that
their position gave rise to some serious intellectual questions, i.e. to
what extent, as an historian, could I indeed, understand the experiences of
certain cultural groups outside my own.
As I have noted, that did not keep me from trying but it did, and continues
to give me pause, when it comes to positions in ethnic-specific museums.
It kinda like my loving music not really preparing me to direct a
music-related museum.
As for those who have focused on specific cultures or ethnic groups in
their academic pursuits, I see no problem. They would surely be qualified
to assume such positions.
I just think it would be somewhat absurd of me to apply for the
directorship of say, a west coast museum with a focus on the
Japanes-American experience.
------
Robert Handy
Brazoria County Historical Museum
100 East Cedar
Angleton, Texas 77515
(409) 864-1208
museum_bob
[log in to unmask]
http://www.bchm.org
----------
From: Paul Apodaca[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 1998 9:43 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: civility or side stepping equity
As 90% of all Native American artifacts are in natural history museums in
this country, and as the overwhelming majority of the academic writing
about Native Americans is by non-Indians, I am not sure how that jibes
with these remarks.
John Ewer is the Dean of Plains Indian study and never appeared
uncomfortable being so. I wonder if this means turning down the
Directorship of say, the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of
Natural History? Or the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of
American History, or how about the Field Museum? The National Museum of
the American Indian does not have an all-Indian staff, nor do the Museums
of New Mexico. I'm just not getting it.
Best,
Paul Apodaca
On Tue, 25 Aug 1998, Robert T. Handy wrote:
> I might be misunderstanding your point but it seems to me that you are
> suggesting that since whites (or Asians or Aborigines or Native
Americans,
> etc.) cannot fully understand what it is like to be Black/African
American,
> we should not study it at all or serve in those types of museums.
>
> Yes, you misunderstood but that's o.k. because it gives us more
to discuss
> (within the limits of our available time--we do have work to do, don't
we).
> What I meant was that African-Americans convinced me that I could not
> successfully study African-American history because there is not way I
> could understand it.
>
> Now, I know that to be as incorrect as saying that I could not
study women
> (academically, that is) because I am a man. However, to a certain extent
> they were correct because there are definite limits to my ability to
> understand the female experience in American history.
>
> Leaping from there to jobs in African-American museums, I am
simply
> agreeing with the original position to the extent that I don't really
> believe I, as an Anglo, could do justice to the subjects of A-A art,
music,
> cultural experience, etc. It was those students in that African-American
> history class that give me my first glimpse at that particular problem.
> Admittedly, it has not kept me from studying the Black or the female or
> the Asian, etc. experience in American History. I would simply be
hesitant
> to apply for a job running say, a Native American museum.
>
> ------
> Robert Handy
> Brazoria County Historical Museum
> 100 East Cedar
> Angleton, Texas 77515
> (409) 864-1208
> museum_bob
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.bchm.org
>
> ----------
> From: Deb Fuller[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 1998 10:32 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: civility or side stepping equity
>
> At 09:43 AM 8/25/98 -0500, you wrote:
>
> >I was not necessarily angered by that position because I generally,
agreed
> >(although I did not discontinue studying American diplomacy because I
was
> >not a diplomat). Nevertheless, the experience has influenced my
thinking
> >when it comes to serving in an African-American museum. I would
generally
> >agree that an Anglo is not going to as fully understand that
> >experience--whether it relates to art, music, politics, culture or
> >whatever--as an African-American. Sure would like to. But....
>
> I might be misunderstanding your point but it seems to me that you are
> suggesting that since whites (or Asians or Aborigines or Native
Americans,
> etc.) cannot fully understand what it is like to be Black/African
American,
> we should not study it at all or serve in those types of museums.
>
> Thus why study history at all? I mean as a woman, I was made to study
> white male history all my life. Certainly I cannot understand all of
> Western history as a white female. Nor why should we subject non-whites
to
> studying Western history as well?
>
> To me, I think we should all have a good base understanding of world
> history, African, Asian, European and South American and a better
> understanding of our own country's history as well. Then I think people
> should be allowed to study whatever history interests them. I may never
> understand what it is like to truely be Black, but I can appreciate the
> culture and the history.
>
> And to add, I grew up in one of the most racially diverse areas in the
> world. (Alexandria, VA right outside of Washington, DC.) Now while I
will
> never been African American/Black, I do know what it is like to be a
> minority and be picked upon because of my skin color. (Yes, "whitey" is
> just as much of an epithet as other racial slurs.) This again, won't be
me
> the true insight on not being white, but it does give me a bit more of a
> perspective than someone who grew up in an all white town in the
Mid-West,
> for example. I think everyone can gain an understanding of someone
else's
> culture on some identifiable level. Finding the common experiences that
we
> all share is the key.
>
> Deb Fuller
>
> --------------------------------------------
> Staples & Charles Ltd.
> 225 N Fairfax St.
> Alexandria, VA 22314
> USA
> 703-683-0900 - voice
> 703-683-2820 - fax
> [log in to unmask]
>
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