This subseries contains some of the files and folders from Karp's tenure at the National Museum of Natural History. Copies of many of these files and folders are present elsewhere in this series. The main subfolder is "Af Cul Div". It also includes two other files, Spencer and Kenyatta. The former is a draft letter from 1992 that Karp and Kratz were developing to interest the Spencer Foundation in supporting their project. "Kenyatta" was text and background for planning of the new African Voices exhibit. There is also an internal memo Karp wrote concerning matters that were in process in relation to collections when he went to Kenya to do research in 1984 ("PROCLAB.MSS" – perhaps misnamed?). N.B. that other projects that Karp worked on during his Smithsonian years are contained in other folders, where he had placed them. This includes the folder "MUSEUMS", which has files from some of Karp and Kratz's joint projects, from the Exhibiting Cultures and Museums and Communities conference/book projects and some exhibit/museum related memos and notes. The folders "Af Phil" and "LUO" also contain files for joint projects Karp did with or planned with Dismas Masolo. The "Fieldnotes" folder contains files from his work in Kenya while at the Smithsonian and from some of his and Kratz's joint projects.
Subfolder "Af Cul Div": During 1992 Karp was working on a congressional appropriation to create a research program to be called variously Cultural Identity and Diversity in Africa or Cultural Diversity and Identity in Africa and Its Diaspora. In various versions it was for an initial two years or an initial three years, but planned to get up to full speed in five years and to be permanent and ongoing. These files are different versions of that proposal – a full version, the short 4-paragraph version required for Congressional submission, a version for the Congressional Black Caucus, program relevance and budget justifications etc. Some file names are based on the forms they addressed (e.g. F-2A) It was to be a collaborative project involving African, American, and African Diaspora scholars and was to produce an exhibit, publications, annual workshops and more. It was to work across Smithsonian museums, including the National African American Museum which was barely started then. The principal SI staff were Karp, Mary Jo Arnoldi and Fath Ruffins.
The proposals and memos about this program date to the early part of 1992. In the summer a House Subcommittee called the Secretary of SI to testify about the National African American Museum and complaints about the NMNH Africa Hall were
raised that eventually led to its closure late in 1992. This folder also includes Karp's memo providing information in response to questions from the Clay Subcommittee, with the proposed program as evidence of new activity and changes.
Collection Restrictions:
Recommendations that Karp wrote for his colleagues and students are restricted until 2061.
Access to the Ivan Karp papers requires an appointment.
Collection Citation:
Ivan Karp papers, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
This collection was processed with the support of a Wenner-Gren Foundation Historical Archives Program grant awarded to Corinne Kratz.
