This is an agency history. It does not describe actual records. The Smithsonian Institution Archives uses these histories as brief accounts of the origin, development, and functions of an office or administrative unit to set that unit in its historical context. To find information on record holdings, please double-click the highlighted field "Creator/Author", which will open on a brief view of relevant records.
Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution, 1966-1984
Smithsonian Year Supplement, 1985-1992
Annals of the Smithsonian Institution, 1993-1996
Smithsonian Directory, 2000
The Director of the Smithsonian Associates is responsible for implementing the broad mission of that office to stimulate support throughout the United States for the work and programs of the Smithsonian Institution in all its branches.
The Smithsonian Society of Associates, as it was first called, was created in 1965. The directorship has been known by various titles over the years as the work of the Associates has grown more complex. The first Executive Secretary, Mrs. Vernon Knight, resigned in 1966 and was replaced as Acting Executive Secretary by G. Carroll Lindsay. In 1967 Lisa Taylor became Program Director, serving until 1970. She was succeeded by Susan A. Hamilton, 1970-1971. In 1972 Robert W. Mason succeeded Lindsay, serving until 1974. He was assisted in operating the resident program by Susan A. Hamilton (1972) and Janet W. Solinger (1973-1975), while Mary Grace Potter oversaw the National Program (1972-1974) and became the Director of the Reception Center (1975) and the Visitor Information and Associates Reception Center, an office separate from the Associates (1976- ). Robert H. Angle succeeded Mason as General Manager of the Smithsonian National Associates Program (1975) and Director (1976-1981) at the same time that Janet W. Solinger became Director of the Smithsonian Resident Associates Program (1976-1992). Jacqueline Austin succeeded Angle (1982-1986) and was in turn succeeded by Joseph Carper, Acting Director (1987-1988) and Director of the National Associates Program (1989-1992). In 1993 the two programs were combined under a single Director. John F. Jameson served as Acting Director of the Smithsonian Associates, as the Office was now known, to be succeeded by Mara Mayor, 1994-2005. Barbara Tuceling, Deputy Director of Smithsonian Associates, became Acting Director in March 2005 and served as Director from 2006-2013. Frederica Adelman became Director in 2013, having previously been with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service from 1987-2013.
For a history of the larger creating unit, refer to "Forms part of " above.
Repository Loc.:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520
Topic:
Associations, institutions, etc--Membership Search this
