I know that this information will be familiar to many readers of this list, but I wanted to forward the notice which appeared on PUBLHIST to be certain that all have access. Chris Geist Attached is a copy of the report on the first meeting of the Task Force on Historians and Museums organized by the Organization of American Historians. It was prepared by Cary Carson, task force chair, and appeared initially in the February OAH Newsletter. Please cross-post the report to any lists for which it would be appropriate. The next meeting of the task force will be on 30 March in Chicago. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * <Headline>OAH Takes Stand Against Political Interference in History Museums <Byline>Cary Carson <BT>Recent attacks on the intellectual integrity of museum exhibitions in Washington and a rash of cancellations at the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress have raised an alarm that the OAH has answered. A group of academic and public historians met informally in January and April 1995 to discuss the growing threat and map out a course of action. Late last summer the Rockefeller Foundation came to the rescue with a grant to support the work of the Task Force on Historians and Museums appointed by OAH President Michael Kammen and OAH Executive Director Arnita A. Jones. The task force held its first meeting on December 6 at the Chicago Historical Society. Members talked at length about the central problem: How can museums secure the freedom they need to bring historical perspectives to bear on important public issues? Last April there had been considerable discussion about a museum historians' Bill of Rights. Few who understand the collaborative nature of exhibit planning went away believing that "academic freedom" could provide any real protection. Conversation at the December meeting in Chicago explored a more promising alternative developing criteria that institutions could use to determine who does and does not have a rightful claim to participate in the exhibit planning process. The group also talked about two related matters. Museum-goers often fail to understand that many historians and curators employed by history museums and historical societies believe that sometimes those institutions should mount exhibitions that encourage public discussion of significant enduring historical issues. Newspaper reporters and television broadcasters who cover the museum beat have not been much quicker to pick up on this new op-ed exhibit function. The professors on the task force made the further observation that most academic historians have paid little or no attention to public history. Now they are even more bewildered by the flurry of controversy surrounding museum exhibits in the nation's capital and the much maligned National History Standards. The task force will propose measures to address each of these problems at future meetings and will return to Chicago to resume its discussions at the OAH Annual Meeting in March. The task force has eight members: Robert Archibald, Missouri Historical Society (representing the American Association for State and Local History); Ellsworth Brown, Carnegie Museums and Library (American Association of Museums); Sara M. Evans, University of Minnesota (OAH); Victoria A. Harden, National Institute of Health, Historical Office (Society for History in the Federal Government); Edward T. Linenthal, University of Wisconsin (American Historical Association); Patricia Mooney-Melvin, Loyola University (National Council on Public History); and two members at large, Lonnie Bunch from the Smithsonian Institution and Cary Carson from Colonial Williamsburg. Sharon Caughill, assistant for professional affairs, OAH, provides logistical support. Cary Carson, Chair ****************************************************************************** Christopher D. Geist Phone: (419)372-2981 Chair, Department of Popular Culture FAX: (419)372-2577 Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, OH 43403 E-Mail: [log in to unmask] Visit Our World Wide Web Site: http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/popc/home.html