The Smithsonian at 175
Transcript
L.L. Cool J: America 1846. An audacious idea to grow and broadcast more knowledge than the world had ever seen. With an eye to the future that dream was the Smithsonian. Your Smithsonian. Expanding the portrait of a people, revealing the building blocks of life, to discover new species, and save those we already know. A knowledge powerhouse with purpose and a community mindset. Inspiring a new generation to learn from the past. Speak up. Be civic. Serve a nation. So that together we can step into the future with optimism. No dreams deferred.
On August 10, 2021, the Smithsonian Institution marks the 175th anniversary of its creation by Congress. At the request of Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III and senior leadership, the Smithsonian’s Material Culture Forum (MCF) organized a survey of the Institution’s robust community of staff, volunteers, interns, alumni, donors, and Board of Regents, to help identify 175 people, collections, and historical moments central to the Smithsonian’s history.
Over 2,700 members of the Smithsonian community shared their recommendations for the “175 People, Objects, and Moments” to mark the anniversary. A pan-Institutional review committee assembled by the MCF sifted through and researched the recommendations. Throughout the 175th anniversary year, the MCF will announce the final selections and share these stories online. Recommendations ranged from the unsurprising (James Smithson) to the truly unsung people, objects, and moments from our history.
MCF invites all members of the Smithsonian community to participate in creating the list of "175 People, Objects, and Moments." If you would like to help provide content for the digital exhibition that will tell the story of this historic milestone (or if you have questions about this initiative), please contact MCF co-chairs, Michelle Delaney and Jennifer Zazo-Brown.
On behalf of the committee, both co-chairs recognize and appreciate the work of Smithsonian Office of Audience Research (SOAR) in facilitating the survey and collecting the recommendations.
Since 1988, the MCF has been a volunteer organization fostering a sense of scholarly community across the Smithsonian by providing staff with opportunities to interact with and learn from their colleagues in other disciplines, primarily through regular forums that are open to all.
The review committee consisted of the following staff members representing 30 Smithsonian units and organizations:
Michelle Delaney, National Museum of the American Indian, MCF co-chair
Jennifer Zazo-Brown, National Museum of African American History and Culture, MCF co-chair
John Lapiana, Office of the Under Secretary for Museums and Culture, Ex Officio and Smithsonian 175th coordinator
From the Material Culture Forum Steering Committee:
Robyn Asleson, National Portrait Gallery
Alison Bazylinski, National Postal Museum
Betty Belanus, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
Tad Bennicoff, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
Kelly Crawford, Smithsonian Gardens
Cara Fama, National Museum of the American Indian
Joanne Flores, Office of the Under Secretary for Museums and Culture
Cynthia Hoover, National Museum of American History, Emeritus
Heather Jaran, Smithsonian Associates
Claire Jerry, National Museum of American History
Todd Kinser, Smithsonian Enterprises
Jennifer Levasseur, National Air and Space Museum
Mary Linn, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
Amelia Meyer, National Museum of American Art
Vilma Ortiz-Sanchez, National Museum of the American Indian
Beth Py-Liberman, Smithsonian Enterprises, Digital Magazine
Kelly Richmond, Smithsonian Office of Audience Research
Amanda Sciandra, National Museum of Natural History
Sharon Shepard, Archives of American Art
Elayne Silversmith, National Museum of the American Indian
Susan Smith, National Postal Museum
William Tompkins, National Collections Program
Other Pan-Institutional representatives:
Pierre Comizzoli, National Zoological Park /SCBI/OUSSR
Liz Eder, Freer Sackler Galleries
Amy Kotkin, Smithsonian Institution Alum
Joanne Leese, Office of Advancement
Kevin Dumouchelle, National Museum of African Art
Christopher Lethbridge, Smithsonian Facilities
Matilda McQuaid, Cooper-Hewitt Museum
Ashley Naranjo, Learning Lab/Office of the Undersecretary for Education
Kelly Richmond, Smithsonian Office of Audience Research
Oris Sanjur, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Rebecca Seel, National Museum of American History and Pride Alliance
Mary Tanner, Smithsonian Institution Alum
George Thomas, Office of Government Relations
Tanya Thrasher, National Museum of the American Indian (SAIEN, Affinities Groups)
Charlie Webber, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
Erin Wommack, National Museum of the American Indian and Pride Alliance