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Smithsonian Institution Archives
Warren M. Robbins Papers, circa 1927-2009
Summary
- Collection ID:
- SIA.FA11-001
- Creators:
-
Robbins, Warren M.
- Dates:
-
circa 1927-2009
- Languages:
-
English
- Physical Description:
-
83.1 cu. ft. (80 record storage boxes) (4 12x17 boxes) (2 16x20 boxes)
- Repository:
-
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Descriptive Entry
Descriptive Entry
These papers document the life and work of Warren M. Robbins, covering a wide swath of his life, from his early career in the Foreign Service to his work in cross cultural communications and African art. A prolific writer, Robbins correspondence with such people as Maya Angelou, Ernie Barnes, Saul Bellow, Eliot Elisofon, Otto Fried, Buckminster Fuller, Francoise Gilot, Chaim Gross, S. I. Hayakawa, Harry Holtzman, Frances Humphrey Howard, Herbert H. Humphrey, Ben Shahn, and Margaret Mead document the close relationships he had with a wide range of people as well as reveal his personality and character.
The papers also include Robbins subject files and reveal his interests in African art, Piet Mondrian, and semantics among other things. Also included are records related to the creation and administration of the Museum of African Art, the work it took to get it included as part of the Smithsonian, its transfer, and the difficulties and conflicts Robbins experienced as a result. The records provide extensive coverage of the work involved in keeping the MAA a vibrant center of education, as well as documents the acquisition of collection material and the production of exhibitions.
The papers also contain materials related to publications, including Robbins' African Art in American Collections, both the 1966 and 1989 editions. Also included are materials related to his writings, lectures, and introductions of which he was known for. Of interest are the materials prepared by Roulhac Toledano in preparation for an unpublished work: Before and After the Smithsonian, The Legacy of Warren Robbins, Founder, National Museum of African Art: A Biography of Letters and Essays.
Other highlights include audio recordings from the dedication of the Museum of African Art on September 21, 1966, as well as recordings of lectures and interviews; records regarding the return of the Afo-A-Kom to the Kom people of Cameroon; records related to the acquisition of the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives; transcripts of oral history interviews; and the numerous awards and honors received by Robbins including the Joseph Henry Medal.
Materials include correspondence, memoranda, invitations, publications, articles, reports, images, sound recordings, transcripts, awards, clippings, newsletters, brochures, scrapbooks, pamphlets, mailings, maps, and floor plans. Some materials are in German and French.
Historical Note
Historical Note
A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, BA, 1945 and the University of Michigan, MA, 1949, Warren Murray Robbins started his career as a secondary school teacher. He later served in the United States Foreign Service, holding a variety of educational and curatorial posts in Germany and Austria. After returning to the United States, Robbins established the Center for Cross Cultural Communication (CCCC) in 1962 to serve as an educational institute integrating, popularizing and utilizing the insights and perspectives of the social sciences and the arts to foster international and interracial understanding as well as communication between the academic world and a broader public audience.
Once of first major projects of the CCCC was the creation in 1964 of the Museum of African Art (MAA). The museum was the extension of an interest in African art that Robbins developed while in Europe. The museum was originally located in the Washington, DC residence of Frederick Douglass and became part of the Smithsonian Institution in1979 and was later renamed the National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) in 1981.
During the 15 years that the MAA was in operation, the CCCC operated under the Museum's name. Following the Museum's inclusion as part of the Smithsonian it reverted back to its original corporate name with the inclusion of Robbins' name in the title to become the Robbins Center for Cross-Cultural Communication.
From 1964 to 1982, Robbins was the Director of the MAA, later becoming the Founding Director Emeritus and Senior Scholar from 1982-1995. In June of 1995, the Smithsonian eliminated Robbins position as Founding Director Emeritus/Senior Scholar because of budgetary reasons. Subsequently Robbins sued the Smithsonian, but ultimately lost and was not able to be reinstated.
After leaving the Smithsonian, Robbins continued his work at the Robbins Center for Cross Cultural Communications to apply the perspectives and insights of the social sciences and the arts in public education with particular emphasis on interracial understanding. Robbins passed away on December 4, 2008.
Chronology
Chronology
September 4, 1923
Born - Worcester, Massachusetts
1928-1937
Midland Street Elementary School
1938-1941
Classical High School
1941-1945
University of New Hampshire, Durham - BA English
1945-1949
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor - MA History
August 1949-September 1950
Teacher, High School, Department of the Army, Dependent School System - Bremerhaven, Germany
September-December 1950
Teacher, High School, Department of the Army, Dependent School System - Nurnberg, Germany
January 1951-November 1951
Visiting Expert, Public Affairs Program, Department of State - Hicog, Germany
1951-1955
Education Officer, American Embassy, Department of State -Vienna, Austria
1955-1957
Cultural Affairs Officer, American Consulate General, United States Information Agency - Stuttgart, Germany
1957-1958
Public Affairs Officer, American Consulate General, United States Information Agency - Stuttgart, Germany
1958-1960
Deputy Chief, Cultural Centers and Program Unit, American Embassy - Bonn, Germany
1960-1961
Staff, U. S. Advisory Commission on Educational and Cultural Relations
1961-1962
Assistant to Deputy Assistant of State for Educational and Cultural Relations, Department of State
1962-1963
Course Chairman, Foreign Service Institute, Department of State
1962-2010
Founder and Director, Center for Cross Cultural Communications (CCCC) and later the Robbins Center for Cross Cultural Communications
1964
Museum of African Art founded as a part of CCCC
1964-1982
Founder and Director, Museum of African Art/National Museum of African Art
1966
Establishment of the Frederick Douglass Institute for Intercultural Understanding
1978
President Carter signs bill authorizing the transfer of MAA to the Smithsonian
1979, August 13
Museum of African Art officially becomes part of the Smithsonian
1981
Museum of African Art changed names to the National Museum of African Art
1982
Sabbatical to Africa
1982-1995
Founding Director Emeritus and Senior Scholar, National Museum of African Art
1987
National Museum of African Art building opens in the Quadrangle on the National Mall
1995, June
Terminated from National Museum of African Art
2008, December 4
Warren M. Robbins passes away
Administration
Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives
Using the Collection
Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 11-001, Warren M. Robbins Papers
More Information
Notes
Personal Papers
Keywords
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
Contact us at osiaref@si.edu