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[[underlined]]AFRICAN AMERICAN PROGRAMMING[[/underlined]]

It was reported that the commitment to more multicultural programming and affirmative action continues to grow within the Institution. In addition, the project for a sustained African American Presence at the Institution has made measurable progress. Internal recruitment is underway for a special assistant in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Museums to serve as interim director for the African American presence project until a formal search for a director has reached conclusion. The fiscal year 1990 appropriation request of $155,000 for the African American presence project has been appealed to the House-Senate Conference Committee.

Progress has been made in planning an October conference consisting of Smithsonian leadership, the Smithsonian's senior African American curatorial and education staff, and non-Smithsonian African American scholars and museum professionals. This conference, and another in the spring, will focus on the form or forms that an African American presence on the Mall might take. It is hoped that the conferences will generate new ideas about African American research, public programming, and collecting opportunities, and that the participation of outside scholars will be provocative and helpful in shaping new Smithsonian directions. Greater understanding of and increased opportunities to work further with other African American collecting and research institutions also are anticipated results of the meeting.

Following the death of John Kinard, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Museums selected Zora Felton to serve as acting director of the Anacostia Museum. Mrs. Felton has served the Museum well as education director since its inception. She has the confidence of the staff and the full support of central at Sony and administration. She is most interested in making sure that the Museum continues to move ahead and in entering into the dialogue about the mission of Anacostia, mindful of the context of the African American presence project.

[[underlined]]RENOVATION OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY[[/underlined]]

The Institution has completed an analysis of various alternative construction schedules for replacement of the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning and electrical systems in the Natural History Building. The option selected will require construction of the building of 80,000 ft.² in the East Court of the Natural History Building to serve as staging space for the relocation of staff and collections in the course of the renovation work. The proposed East Court Building will cost approximately $25,000,000, exclusive of furnishings and equipment. However use of this building as on-site staging will reduce the cost of $122 million for the 14-year scheme presented to the Regents two years ago. Equally important as the cost considerations are the benefits to the Museum in terms of allowing more public areas to remain open during the renovation and the availability of 80,000 square feet of permanent space within the Natural History Building footprint for decompression of currently overcrowded Museum activities at the end of the project.

The Institution will complete planning for the East Court Building in fiscal year 1990 and is requesting design funding in fiscal year 1991. Concurrently, the Smithsonian will begin the renovation with work that is not