Smithsonian Institution Archives

African American Contributions to the Smithsonian Oral History Interviews, 2015-2016

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU9636
Creators:
Smithsonian Institution
Dates:
2015-2016
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Introduction

Introduction
The Smithsonian Institution Archives (SIA) began its Oral History Program in 1973. The purpose of the program is to supplement the written documentation of the Archives' record and manuscript collections with an Oral History Collection, focusing on the history of the Institution, research by its scholars, and contributions of its staff. Program staff conduct interviews with current and retired Smithsonian staff and others who have made significant contributions to the Institution. There are also reminiscences and interviews recorded by researchers or students on topics related to the history of the Smithsonian or the holdings of the Smithsonian Institution Archives.
To celebrate the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in September of 2016, the Institutional History program of Smithsonian Institution Archives conducted a series of oral history interviews with African Americans who made significant contributions to the Smithsonian over their careers.

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
These interviews discuss their contributions to the Smithsonian as African American volunteers, employees, and regents, their relationships to the rest of the Smithsonian, notable programs they developed, significant challenges, reminiscences of colleagues, and interaction with the public and staff.
The Smithsonian African American Contributions Oral History Interviews collection is comprised of 6 interview sessions, totaling approximately 7 hours of recordings and c. 340 pages of transcripts. The interviews were conducted in 2015-2017 by intern Olivia Sayah and historian Pamela M. Henson.
Jeannine Smith Clark (1928-2018) was born on October 5, 1928 in Washington, D.C. She received her BA and MA in African Studies from Howard University. She began her work with the Smithsonian in 1968 as a volunteer docent. She chaired the volunteer program of the Smithsonian Women's Committee in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1983 she was appointed to the Board of Regents, where she became the first chairwomen of the Cultural Education Committee in 1986. She was now a Emeritus Regent.
Shireen Dodson (1951- ) was born July 2, 1951 in New Jersey and moved to Washington, D.C. in the 1970s. She received her BS from Morgan State University and her juris doctorate from Seton Hall Law School. At the Smithsonian, she worked as the Assistant Director of the Accounting and Financial Services Office, SI Comptroller and with the African American Museum Project from 1980 to 2000. She is now at the United Nations.
Michael R. Barnes (1956- ) was born March 4th, 1956 in Washington, D.C. He began his career in 1977 at the Smithsonian in the Duplicating Branch of the Office of Printing and Printing Services. He has been working as a photographer for the Smithsonian since 2000. He is best known for his photography of the building of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, as well as of the Million Man March and the presidential inaugurations of George W. Bush and Barak Obama.
Shirley Ann Jackson (1946- ) grew up in Washington, D.C., before attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology for her B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in theoretical physics and particle physics. After a career at Bell Labs, Rutgers University and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, she was named president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1999. She served on the Smithsonian Board of Regents from 2005 to 2017.

Historical Note

Historical Note
The Smithsonian African American Contributions interviewees include Jeannine Smith Clark, Shireen Dodson, Michael R. Barnes, and Shirley Ann Jackson.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 9636, African American Contributions to the Smithsonian Oral History Interviews
Use Restriction
Restricted. Contact SIHistory@si.edu to request permission.

More Information

Notes

Oral Histories

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Clark, Jeannine Smith, 1928- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dodson, Shireen Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Barnes, Michael R. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jackson, Shirley Ann, 1946- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Henson, Pamela M., interviewer Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Institution -- Employees Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of African American History and Culture (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Institution. Board of Regents Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Printing and Photographic Services Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Accounting and Financial Services Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Arts and Humanities. National African American Museum Project Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Howard University Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Women's Committee Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Comptroller Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Department of State Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bell Labs Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rutgers University Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Million Man March (1995: Washington, D.C.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
African Americans Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museums -- Employees Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographers Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
African Americans -- History Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Obama, Barack Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Oral history Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Presidents -- United States -- Inauguration Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Volunteer workers in museums Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Transcripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Compact discs Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Electronic images Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Digital images Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Electronic records Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
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