Viewing page 148 of 151

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

-vii-

The Secretary intends to: enhance minority representation throughout Smithsonian activities; initiate a process for establishing a Mall presence for African American history, art, and culture; establish an advisory committee to address the mandate and location of the new facility and to advise similarly on the future of the Anacostia Museum; broaden the Smithsonian's relationship with the African American Museum Association and other collecting institutions to develop policies for collecting; and reaffirm the Smithsonian's commitment to the Anacostia Museum as an effective community museum. The views of the Regents were solicited on such measures as: establishing a "bureau," and appointing a director thereof, to plan for the content and physical form of a Mall presence; establishing a committee to advise the Director, Secretary, and the Regents on progress and opportunities; conducting further discussions with the African American Museum Association and others on collecting policies, collection care, and efforts to publicize collecting and preservation needs nationwide; considering the objectives of Congressman Lewis' bill to create a National African-American Heritage Memorial Museum; and developing a wide range of Smithsonian resources of use to the Anacostia Museum and its community. An account of enhanced African American programming throughout the Smithsonian has been incorporated into the semi-annual affirmative action report to the Congress. 

Emphasizing that the staff proposes to move cautiously and deliberately through a continuing consultative process toward enhanced African-American programming in general and toward establishing a significant but undefined African-American presence on the Mall, Mr. Adams suggested that the establishment of a bureau within the Smithsonian organization would appear to be an essential early step to ensure the Institution has a focal point for discussion which will lead to the further evolution of the concept.  

This course is decidedly more cautious than those advocated in recent correspondence from either Barry Gaither, President of the African American Museums Association, or Mr. Kinard, who urge that a major effort should be under way to expand the size and program of the Anacostia Museum and to plan for an African-American Museum on the Mall. Their proposals differ significantly from the revised Bill introduced by Congressman John Lewis calling for an African American museum under the charter of the Smithsonian but essentially independent of it. The staff of the Institution will want to work with both the Congressman and the African American Museum Association in trying to make this proposal more practicable. In discussion, the Regents reinforced the Secretary's commitment to continuing collaboration with the African American Museums Association and encouraged the Secretary to move forward in the steps outlined, stopping short of making irreversible commitments prior to further consultation with the Board.

[[underlined]] NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM EXTENSION [[/underlined]]

The Smithsonian awarded a contract in March to Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum (HOK) to prepare a site evaluation study for the National Air and Space Extension. The site evaluation study will assist the Institution in determining the most appropriate location for the Extension.

The scope of the study includes a comparison of logistical and physical characteristics of two potential sites, the Baltimore-Washington International Airport and Dulles International Airport. The contractor will develop