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[[underlined]] Award of the Henry Medal to Warren Robbins [[/underlined]]

The Secretary mentioned that at its meeting of June 15, 1982, the National Museum of African Art Commission learned of Mr. Warren Robbins' decision to leave the position of director of Museum and accept the position of Senior Scholar and Founding Director Emeritus at the Museum. The Commissioners praised Mr. Robbins' 15 years of leadership, expressed their pleasure that he would retain a close working relationship with the Museum, and by unanimous vote strongly urged that the Board of Regents recognize in an appropriate fashion his service to the Smithsonian and to the Nation in founding the Museum and overseeing its development from a small private venture to its present status as the National Museum of African Art of the Smithsonian Institution.

After considering the full range of honorific possibilities, the Secretary suggested that the most appropriate way the Board could recognize Mr. Robbins' career-long efforts dedicated to the greater understanding and appreciation of the aesthetics of traditional African art would be by awarding him the Henry Medal.

This medal, conferred by the Board of Regents, was created in 1879 and has been awarded thirteen times as follows: David E. Finley, 1967; Frank A. Taylor, 1968; Charles G. Abbot 1970; Fred L. Whipple, 1973; Edward K. Thompson, 1973; John Nicholas Brown, 1975; T. Dale Stewart and Martin H. Moynihan, 1976; Hubert H. Humphrey, 1977; Porter M. Kier, 1979; Gordon N. Ray and Caryl P. Haskins, 1980; and William A. M. Burden, 1981. Mr. Robbins would become the sixth Smithsonian bureau director so honored.