Collection Creator:

Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Introduction:

The Smithsonian is a cherished symbol of knowledge, a repository for treasures and national memories, a shrine of human accomplishment and natural wonders. The Smithsonian was founded for the "increase and diffusion of knowledge" and took root in an American, democratic society as an organization dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge in the public eye, and for the public good. The Smithsonian celebrated its 150th year with America's Smithsonian - a major exhibition that traveled to twelve cities across the nation - and with television specials and minutes, a birthday celebration on the Mall in August, and a host of other exhibits, World Wide Web programs, and scholarly conferences. On the occasion of the Smithsonian's 150th anniversary, the 1996 Festival celebrated the culture of the Smithsonian workplace. The Festival had celebrated the folklife of many different occupational groups in the past, from cowboys to trial lawyers. In this program, the focus was not on one occupation, but on the diverse jobs that make up the Institution: from astrophysicists to animal keepers, security officers to exhibit preparators, registrars to administrators. All were involved, one way or another, with carrying out the Smithsonian's mission: the increase and diffusion of knowledge. At the Festival, Smithsonian personnel demonstrated just how they carry out this mission, by turning the Institution "inside out," as scientists, curators, conservators, exhibit makers, security officers, accountants, and administrators showed the public how the Smithsonian works. Their work also testified to the importance of knowledge as a basis for understanding the world, the significance of an educated citizenry, and the civic value of long-lived, high-quality public institutions. Festival visitors, in turn, could contribute their own "Smithsonian Memories" in a special tent. While each job at the Smithsonian embodies its own skills and culture, it is also necessarily entwined with other complementary jobs. Each worker has his or her "way of knowing" at the Smithsonian, but also must know whom else to rely on to get things done in a proper and timely fashion. And each way of knowing illuminates a different dimension or sector of the Institution as a whole. The mission of the Institution is specific yet broad enough to engage a wide variety of occupational perspectives, imaginations, and aspirations. Indeed, the Smithsonian is part government, part museum, university, and business, and reflects the organizational culture of each. However, whether Festival audiences were listening to workers in jobs such as security officer, transport driver, metalworker, plasterer, curator, or administrator, the same themes emerged: working at the Smithsonian means doing a variety of tasks, or serving a variety of needs, in ways that clearly contribute to the functioning of the whole. Betty J. Belanus, Emily Botein and Marjorie Hunt were Curators of the program; Peter Seitel was Buildings and Grounds Curator, and Olivia Cadaval and Pam Henson were Smithsonian Memories Curators; Lynn Wojcik was Smithsonian Memories Coordinator. Working at the Smithsonian was made possible by the Smithsonian Institution 150th Anniversary Committee and with funds from the Smithsonian National Board.

Fieldworkers and photographic support:

Fieldworkers Susan Arshack, Betty Belanus, Carla Borden, Emily Botein, James Deutsch, John Franklin, Marjorie Hunt, Rich Kennedy, Richard Kurin, Rebecca Maksel, Carmina Mortillaro, Michael Murray, Diana Baird N'Diaye, Diana Parker, Erin Roth, Bob Sayers, Peter Seitel, Beverly Simons, Barbara A. Strickland, Egle Zygas Photographic support Lori Aceto, Bill Baxter, Joan Boudreau, Joanna Britto, Mark Bryan-Brown, David Burgevin, Tim Cannon, Chip Clark, Jessie Cohen, Jim Cornell, Elsie Cunningham, Courtney DeAngelis, Pam Dewey, John Dillaber, Harold Dorwin, Doc Dougherty, John Eisenberg, Mike Fetters, Paula Fleming, Cathy Flynn, Howard Gillette, Mark Haddon, Ed Keating, Martha Knouss, Chrisley McCarson, Scott Miller, Douglass Mudd, Laura Nash, Evi Oehler, Julie Piraino, Melissa Reiser, Mary Rice, David Romanowski, Frances Rowsell, Lynn Sahaydak, Stephanie Smith, Ann Stetser, Carolyn Thome, John Tsantes, Rick Vargas, Anne Wagner, Helena Wright, Barbara Wolanin, Amanda Young

Presenters:

Andrew Connors, James Deutsch, Erin Roth, Tom Vennum

Participants:

Anacostia Museum Harold Dorwin Robert Hall Portia James Steve Newsome Sharon Reinckens Wade Stuart Center for Folklife Programs & Cultural Studies Karin Hayes Richard Kurin, 1950- Jeff Place Reynald Searles Anthony Seeger Kenn Shrader Conservation Analytical Laboratory Mary Baker Harriet Beaubien Ron Bishop David Erhardt Martha Goodway Carol Grissom Marion Mecklenburg Charles Tumosa Noreen Tuross Dianne Van Der Reyden Pam Vandiver Lambertus van Zelst Melvin Wachowiak Don Williams Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Konstanze Bachmann Joanne Kosuda-Warner, 1956- Barbara Livenstein Cordelia Rose Alfred Simon Stephen H. Van Dyk, 1950- Freer Gallery of Art & Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Jeffrey Baxter John Bradley Thomas Chase Scott Coleman Louise Allison Cort, 1944- Vidya Dehejia Cornell Evans Richard Franklin Colleen Hennessey James Horrocks Craig Korr Thomas Lentz Lucia Pierce Patrick Sears Richard Skinner Francis Smith James Smith Martha Smith Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden William Adams Leland Aks Sidney Lawrence, 1948- Christopher Wilson Museum Support Center Vince Wilcox National Air and Space Museum Mark Balmer Bruce Allan Campbell, 1964- Geoffrey Chester Ian Cooke Robert Craddock Thomas Crouch Michael Fetters Louis Fleming Frank Florentine Jeff Goldstein Mary Henderson Gary Houston Patricia Jacobberger-Jellison William Jacobs Peter Jakab Andrew Johnston Melissa Keiser Cathleen S. Lewis, 1958- Kim Martin Ted Maxwell Helen McMahon Valerie Neal David Paper Dominick Pisano, 1943- David Romanowski Rosemary Steinat Priscilla Strain Suvinee Vanichkachorn Amanda Young James Zimbelman National Air and Space Museum, Garber Facility, Silver Hill Gail Everson Steve Hemlin Stacey Kluck Tamura Moore James Oakley Richard Siday Martin White National Museum of African Art Leasa Farrar-Frazer Christraud Geary Alan Knezevich Edward Lifschitz, 1945- Steve Mellor Dana Moffett Peter Pipim Roslyn Walker National Museum of American Art Fern Bleckner Andrew Connors Ann Creager Merry Foresta Jerry Hovanec Martin Kotler Kate Maynor John Reuter John Zelenik National Museum of American Art, Renwick Gallery Jeremy Elwell Adamson, 1943- Allen Bassing, 1932- National Museum of American History Peter Albritton Richard Barden Howard Bass Jeanne Benas Dwight Bowers Harold Closter Camilla Clough Terry Conable Spencer R. Crew, 1949- Pete Daniel Smita Dutta Bernard S. Finn, 1932- Jane Gamble Marion Gill Hank Grasso John Edward Hasse, 1948- Ellen Hughes Reuben Jackson Stephen Jones Claudia Kidwell Carolyn Long Edith Mayo Charlie McGovern Susan Myers Stan Nelson Scott Odell, 1935- Donald Phillips Beth Richwine Ann Rossilli Rodris Roth Ed Ryan Anne Serio Tony Skowron Barbara Clark Smith Lonn Taylor, 1940- Tom Tearman Suzanne Thomassen-Krauss David Todd Jim Weaver Polly Willman Bill Withuhn Omar Wynn National Museum of the American Indian Kathleen Ash-Milby Eulalie Bonar Douglas E. Evelyn, 1941- Andrea Hanley Charlotte Heth George Horsecapture Marty Kreipe De Montaño Mary Jane Lenz Scott Merritt Tim Ramsey Alyce Sadongei, 1959- Tanya Thrasher Jim Volkert Rick West Sonya Wolf National Museum of Natural History Marjorie Akins Joallyn Archambault, 1942- Mary Jo Arnoldi Carole Baldwin Maria Ballantyne Deborah Bell Mike Braun Matthew Cane Jonathan Coddington Margaret Collins Elisabeth Craft Don Davis Elizabeth Dietrich Carla Dove Chisato Dubreuil David Dubreuil Nate Erwin Natalie Firnhaber Richard Fiske William W. Fitzhugh, 1943- Vicki A. Funk, 1947- James Glenn Frank Greenwell Charles Overton Handley, 1924- Greta Hanson Don Harvey Betty Hays Gary Hevel Lee Hitchcock Elaine R.S. Hodges, 1937-2006 Jake Homiak, 1947- Deborah Hull-Walski Adrienne Kaeppler Bebe Katims Thomas Killion Victor Kranz Conrad Labandeira, 1950- Roxie Laybourne Stephen Loring, 1950- Sally Love Vichai Malikul Carolyn Margolis Roy McDiarmid Laura McKie Rosemary Monagan Keiko Moore Dan Henry Nicolson, 1933- Beth Norden Doug Owsley Lynne Parenti David Leo Pawson, 1938- Glenn Rankin Clyde F.E. Roper, 1937- Tim Rose Molly Ryan Mary Sangrey Janna Scherer Margaret Schweitzer Lorena Selim Rita Sharon Bryan Sieling Theresa Singleton Bruce Smith Dennis Stanford William Sturtevant Alice Tangerini Paul Taylor Thomas Thill Richard Thorington Gus Willard Van Beek, 1922- George Venable Michael Wise Priscilla Williams Stanley Yankowski Ellis Leon Yochelson, 1928-2006 Melinda Zeder Liz Zimmer National Portrait Gallery Amy Henderson Ellen Gross Miles, 1941- National Postal Museum Wendy Aibel-Weiss Jim Bruns Linda Edquist Nancy Pope Daisy Ridgway National Zoological Park Jonathan Ballou Benjamin Beck Judith Block Melanie Bond Daryl Boness Johnny Brown Wayne Callender Richard Cambre Larry Collins Robert Davis Lynn Dolnick Chuck Fillah Jim Fitzpatrick Robert Fleischer Marie Galloway Edwin Gould, 1933- Roscoe Harper Eugene Hicks Rick Hider Robert Hoage Carl Jackson David Jenkins Peggy Johns-Shiflett David Kessler Devra Kleiman John Lehnhardt Kathy Lehnhardt Jim Machuga Dale Marcellini Bruce Miller Harry Miller Richard Montali Linda Moore Mike O'Brien Olav Oftedal Alan Peters Charles Pickett Earl Pinkney Scott Posey Miles Roberts Mike Schwartz Prince Seabron John Seidensticker Miles Simmons Lisa Stevens Ben Turner Billy Turner Robin Vasa Louis "Trooper" Walsh Stuart Wells Christen Wemmer Carl Wheatley Chuck Woolf Bill Xanten Office of Architectural History and Historic Preservation Amy Ballard Cynthia Field Michael Hendron Peter Muldoon Richard Stamm Office of the Comptroller Blanchard White Justin Estoque Office of Environmental Management and Safety Walter Bailey Office of Exhibits Central Harry Adams Susan Arshack Nina Awkard-Capers Hugh Bennett Mary Bird Harold Campbell James Carr Diana Cohen Daniel Fielding Seth Frankel Mike Headley Veronica Jenkins George Johnson Paula Kaufman Mike Kelton Richard Kilday Tina Lynch-Safreed Eve MacIntyre Reed Martin Rolando Mayen Lora Moran-Collins Carol Anne Otto Rick Pelasara Robert Perantoni George Quist Rosemary Regan Chris Reinecke Carol Reuter James Reuter Paul Rhymer John Siske Liz Smalls Tim Smith Susan Smith-Pinelo Carolyn Thome Anthony Valentine William Walton Eric Washington Mary Wiedeman Dwight Wilson Debbie Yang Rachel Young Jon Zastrow Office of the General Council Lauryn Grant Office of Government Relations Palita Abeyta Manuel Melendez Office of Health Services Avelina Rose Anne Shepard Sharon Striker Juanita Tutt Office of Human Resources Monte Cones Office of International Relations Francine Berkowitz Leonard Hirsch Office of Physical Plant Nancy Bechtol Tom Blair Joseph Brice Thomas Brown Robert Burgess Thomas Cacciatore Gregory Carpenter James Clark Ron Coombs Francis Cooper Judie Cooper Jesse Cox Greg Culler Bob Davis Victoria Di Bella John Dickerson Kurt Donaldson Randy Dudley Ray Dudley Jerry Estep Barbara Faust Deborah Ferris Don Grambling Dennis Greive Barry Gullixon Mark Hardin Shelly Harlan Stanley Hilton Thomas Hollister Young Ok Hong Walter Howell Meredith Hubel Donald Johnson Sean Jones Sung Kim Patrick Larkin Meyer Laskin Joel Lemp Paul Lindell Derrell Lyles Vincenzo Marinucci Robert Marshall Paula McCloskey Christopher McGill, Sr. Patrick Miller Lauranne Nash Debra Nauta-Rodriquez Robert Nicholson Donnie Pierce Pat Ponton Rod Prady Richard Price Rosa Proctor Michael Riordan Ardell Robinson Jeff Schneider Anthony Smith Karen Swanson Ted Tieff Sally Tomlinson Teddy Villapando Howard Wink Tom Winston Holly Wright Office of Planning and Budget Margaret Gaynor Office of Printing and Photographic Services Carl Hansen Eric Long Hugh Talman Rick Vargas Office of Protection Service William Adams Paul Blair Carvester Booth Martha Cavanaugh Emanuel Chase Lawrence Chatman Ronald Colaprete Myron Curtis William Gaghan Elease Hall Harold Hancock Preston Herald Charles Johnson William Johnson James Kelly William Lassiter Dave Liston Jerome Luczak Peter Mac Kessy Henry McFadden Frank Navarro Antonio Quintos Eric Scott Ray Sebulsky Adolph Smith Kenneth Thomas Deborah Watkins Ricardo Williams James Wooten Office of the Provost Wilton Dillon Mary Lynne McElroy Michael Lang Mary Tanner Office of Public Affairs Mary Combs Hamlet Paoletti Linda St. Thomas Office of Special Events and Conference Service Ted Anderson Office of Wider Audience Development Marshall Wong Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Nathaniel Carleton James Cornell, 1938- Alexander Dalgarno Linda French Robert P. Kirshner, 1949- Myron Lecar Ursula Marvin Jonathan Williams Smithsonian Environmental Research Center David Correll Bert Garrison Drake, 1935- Candy Feller Mark Haddon Anson Hines Thomas Jordan James Lynch Patrick Neale Geoffrey Parker Greg Ruiz Richard Smucker Smithsonian Institution Libraries Martin Kalfatovic Sherry Kelley Nancy Matthews Rhoda Ratner Barbara Smith Valerie Wheat Marca Woodhams Smithsonian Institution Press Frances Roswell Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service Vivien Ta-Ying Chen Anna R. Cohn, 1950- Matou Goodwin Liz Hill Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center Russ Greenberg Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Stanley Rand Raineldo Urriola Travel Services Office Carol Ailes Judy Petroski Visitor Information and Associates' Reception Center Richard Anderson Greta Brown Roberta Buchanan Sheila Harris Judy Peterman Mary Grace Potter Katherine Ridgely Louise Steele Gilmer Vanpoole Former and Retired Smithsonian Workers Renee Altman Bruce Beehler A.C. Clarke Jackie Dulaney Maria Christina Garcia Elaine Heumann Gurian, 1937- Donald S. Lopez, 1923- Jeffrey LaRichie David McFadden Louis Purnell Margaret Santiago Steptoe Wren Agnes Yore

Collection Restrictions:

Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.

Collection Rights:

Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1996 Festival of American Folklife, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

CFCH.SFF.1996, Series 5

See more items in:

Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1996 Festival of American Folklife

Archival Repository:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/bk54e519217-98d7-49be-afdf-df3761a93e8f

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-cfch-sff-1996-ref39