Robert Stanton, former Director of the National Park Service, discusses how he came to be involved in the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now Anacostia Community Museum), his relationship with the museum's Founding Director, John Kinard, how the Anacostia neighborhood received and engaged with the museum, and how it has evolved over time. He describes the process of converting Carver Theater site into the original museum, and his service as the Chairman of the Exhibit Planning Committee, which established the first exhibits and programming. Robert also describes his involvement in relocating the museum to Fort Stanton Park, after having been appointed Superintendent of the National Capital Parks East.
The interview was conducted by Helene Fisher on August 15, 1991. The audio quality is clear throughout the recording.
Exhibition mentioned: The Rat: Man's Invited Affliction.
Biographical / Historical:
Robert Stanton (1940-), was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He earned a B.S. in 1963 from Huston-Tillotson University and completed graduate work at Boston University and George Washington University. In 1966, he relocated to Washington DC, and became involved in the emerging Anacostia Community Museum, eventually serving as Chairman of the Exhibit Planning Committee. He worked in progressively more responsible positions in the National Park Service, starting as a personnel management and public information specialist, then serving as a management assistant for National Capital Parks-Central, and later as superintendent of National Capital Parks-East. In 1976, he became Assistant Director for Park Operations, and was then selected as Deputy Regional Director of the National Capital Region. In 1988, he advanced to Regional Director of the National Capital Region, where he remained until his retirement in 1997. Shortly thereafter, he was called out of retirement, and appointed as the 15th National Park Service Director by President Bill Clinton, where he served until January, 2001. He was the first African American to serve as Director of the National Park Service. During his distinguished career, he worked to improve the agency's public programs to better serve minority populations, and completed numerous programs in conservation, management, and executive leadership. Mr. Stanton also received three honorary doctorate degrees and numerous awards, including the Department of the Interior's highest award, the Distinguished Service Award. He also served as a professor in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University.
Provenance:
Conducted as part of the ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project, which includes approximately 100 interviews of residents and influential people of the Anacostia area of Washington, DC.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Genre/Form:
Oral histories (document genres)
Collection Citation:
ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution
