Jane is correct about SITruth; that page also links (bottom left) to two pages hosted by a group called CRC forever that support both SCMRE and CRC. In addition, the National Council of Public History (www.ncph.org) has put out a statement, as has the American Anthropological Association (www.aaanet.org). I think Organization of American Historians has also taken a stand but I'm not so sure on that. Thanks, Kathy On Thu, 14 Jun 2001 10:19:42 -0400, Jane Glaser <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >I am told that you may write to: http://www.sitruth.freeservers.com for information on who to write to. > >>>> [log in to unmask] 06/13/01 08:40AM >>> >This has been making the rounds of several lists I'm on. Does anyone know >who it would be appropriate to write to in protest of Small's actions? Are >the people mentioned in the last paragraph of this letter the best bets? >South Carolina's public history & folklife people await your answer! Those >interested might also want to check out the action alert about the closing >of SCMRE on www.aaanet.org (I think it's still there). > >Kathy Mancuso > >----Original Message Follows---- >From: Robert Weyeneth <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: H-Net/NCPH Discussion List on Public History ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Smithsonian in the News Again >Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 08:14:24 EDT > >Apologies for cross-postings but these developments at the Smithsonian >warrant wide circulation. This is from H-PUBLIC, to which you might >wish to post comments. > >----------------------------Original message---------------------------- >Included below is a notice sent recently by Bruce Craig, Executive >Director of the National Coordinating Committee, regarding another >exhibition issue at the Smithsonian Institution. This pertains to >a substantial donation to the National Museum of American History >and the proposed involvement of the donor in the content of that >exhibition. > >I invite you to read the article and consider the ramifications of >what is being proposed. If you wish to exchange your thoughts on >this list, you are most welcome to do so. > >Historical organizations are beginning to react to the situation. >The Organization of American Historians released a statement today. >You may find it at the OAH website -- www.oah.org > >Last year, the Board of Directors of NCPH accepted museum exhibit >guidelines that had been drafted and approved by the Society for >History in the Federal Government; you may find those on the NCPH >website at www.ncph.org > >I will keep you apprised of any other developments in this matter. > >David G. Vanderstel >Executive Director >National Council on Public History > >_____________________________________________ > >NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 7, #22, June 1, 2001 >by Bruce Craig <[log in to unmask]> of the National Coordinating >Committee for the Promotion of History >***************** > >1. Smithsonian Secretary Criticized by Staff > >1. SMITHSONIAN SECRETARY CRITICIZED BY STAFF >In a blunt letter to the Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents, over >70 curators, historians, and other scholars associated with the Museum of >American History have called on the Regents to review a series of recent >decisions made by Secretary Lawrence Small and his staff. Small is a >former investment and mortgage company executive and the first >non-academic to head the Smithsonian in its 160-year history. > >According to the letter, the scholars believe the Secretary's actions >"circumvent established decision-making procedures...breach established >standards of museum practice and professional ethics...[and] commit >[the] museum to unethical relationships with private donors." While the >letter falls just short of calling for the Secretary's dismissal, it does >accuse Small of a series of actions that have caused "irreversible and >deserved loss of public confidence in the Smithsonian." > >The series of actions undertaken by the Secretary discussed in the >letter include: renaming the National Museum of American History; >committing the museum to unethical relationships with private donors; >creating a "hall of fame" of individual Americans, and reconfiguring >exhibit space in absence of "deliberative procedures [that are to be] >applied to all proposals." In short, the letter states that the >"Secretary's actions create the appearance of impropriety." Of prime >concern to the scholars is the apparent loss of intellectual control of >exhibitions. The letter asks: "Will the Smithsonian Institution actually >allow private funders to rent space in a public museum for the expression >of private interests and personal views?" > >The letter comes on the heels of a series of developments - an >unsuccessful attempt by Secretary Small to close the Smithsonian's renown >wildlife conservation center, the abrupt resignation of Robert Fri, >Director of the National Museum of Natural History (Fri is the third >Smithsonian Director to announce his intention to quit the Institution; >Fri cited disagreements with higher level Smithsonian officials who are >reorganizing his museum and the current plans to curtail and consolidate >programs at the worlds largest museum and research complex as reasons for >tendering his resignation) and by the acceptance of a $38 million gift by >the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation that will finance a 10,000 >square-foot "hall of fame" that will honor American achievers. > >One historian characterized the Reynolds achievers hall concept as >"ahistorical"; a curator noted that the exhibit probably will break >with Smithsonian tradition of focusing on the display and interpretation >of the Smithsonian's world-class museum collections. Instead, the exhibit >(tentatively named "The Spirit of America"), will probably be a series >of self-serving stories punctuated by pictures and a smattering of objects >donated by the "achievers." > >Concerns raised in the letter by the Smithsonian professional staff were >recently bolstered by the unauthorized release to the press of donor >contracts signed by Smithsonian officials. According to the contract >between the Smithsonian and Reynolds, Ms. Reynolds will choose 10 of the >15 members of the advisory committee that will select the achievers to be >included in the exhibition. Reportedly, among Ms. Reynolds' candidates >for the achiever hall are home/garden guru Martha Stewart, the founder of >Federal Express Frederick Smith, newsman Sam Donaldson and movie >director Steven Spielberg. The contract also gives Reynolds some >supervisory authority over exhibit content and construction: "Before >construction of the exhibition commences, the donor and the Smithsonian >Institution shall mutually agree on the final location, the design of the >exhibition and construction schedule." Reynolds will be acknowledged in >the hall of achievers through a display of her name and the logo of her >foundation, and mention of the American Academy of Achievement, a project >of the Reynolds Foundation run by her husband. The contract also states >that the Secretary alone "shall finally determine the contents of the >exhibition." > >Reportedly, officials at the Museum of American History were not >involved in negotiations relating to the Reynold's gift, but were simply >informed by the Secretary's staff of the plans for the new museum exhibit. >Apparently, Reynolds had tried to market her museum concept to at least >one other private museum back in the early 1990s but was turned down. > >Smithsonian spokeswoman Mary Combs said Secretary Small had no comment >about the employees letter. Sheila Burke, Under-secretary for American >Museums and National Programs, however, said the complaints were >unfounded, that the public trust had not been compromised and that the >Secretary was acting within his powers. > >In addition to the issues raised in the letter, curators, historians and >independent scholars are starting to voice concerns about the leadership >and direction of the Smithsonian. Members of the advisory Smithsonian >Council, for example, were informed in a recent meeting that support for >independent research will be condensed if not curtailed in order to >support a number of handpicked projects and opportunities. The hurriedly >assembled recent exhibitions ordered by Small, some of which demonstrate >"a remarkable lack of intellectual depth" (the recent Presidential exhibit >is most frequently cited) also has not gone unnoticed within the scholarly >community. > >Recent press reports have also zeroed in on Small's reported >"anti-intellectualism" which was most recently evident in a May 6, 2001 >CBS "Sunday Morning" interview. As a consequence of developments, the >nation's press including the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and >Washington Post are now watching developments at the Smithsonian with >renewed scrutiny as Small comes under increasing criticism for what is >characterized as his attempt to transform the Smithsonian into a "theme >park" devoted to "attracting crowds and big private donors." On May 31, >for example, the New York Times published an editorial criticizing the >"questionable donation...that can warp an institution's priorities and >professionalism." The Times also reports that an "anti-Small sticker >campaign" at the Smithsonian museums has been launched by staff. >Reportedly, small green and orange stickers reading >"dump Small" are finding their way into elevators, have been placed on >bulletin boards, are being worn on employee jacket lapels, and can be >seen on automobile bumpers. > >Igor Sikorski, a member of the Smithsonian Council, has asked for a >Congressional probe of Small's conduct as Secretary, warning that "the >future and stature of the Smithsonian Institution is at stake." >According to a spokesperson for the Senate Rules Committee, a routine >hearing on the Smithsonian has been tentatively scheduled for later this >summer, but plans to go forward with a special oversight hearing would >have to be made by Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn) the incoming Chairman >of the committee. Dodd's office has yet to decide what action (if any) to >take. > >========================================================= >Important Subscriber Information: > >The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l- faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). > >If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). > >========================================================Important Subscriber Information: > >The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l- faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). > >If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).