The earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010 devastated its capital region, killing 300,000, leaving over a million people homeless, and a nation in ruins. Haiti‘s museums, churches, art galleries, libraries, and archives were destroyed, damaged, or endangered. Troves of historical books and documents, treasured artistic works and architectural features, and artifacts of great cultural significance all were at risk of being lost forever. Haitians take great pride in their cultural heritage. It informs their identity as a people. That heritage grows out of their historic struggles for freedom; it gives them strength to persevere and survive; it provides the basis for creativity evident in a vibrant and robust living culture, and is an asset in the economic life of a nation. The Haiti Cultural Recovery Project sought to rescue, recover, safeguard, and help restore Haiti‘s cultural heritage in the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake. This book documents that effort. It

Saving Haiti's Heritage: Cultural Recovery After the Earthquake

Science & Math

Richard Kurin

Earth Sciences

Smithsonian Institution

Is culture brokered like stocks, real estate, or marriage? In this engaging book, Richard Kurin shows that cultures are also mediated and indeed brokered by countries, organizations, communities, and individuals -- all with their own vision of the truth and varying abilities to impose it on others. Drawing on his diverse experiences in producing exhibitions and public programs, Kurin challenges culture brokers -- defined broadly to include museum professionals, film-makers, journalists, festival producers, and scholars of many disciplines -- to reveal more clearly the nature of their interpretations, to envision the ways in which their messages can "play" to different audiences, and to better understand the relationship between knowledge, art, politics, and entertainment. The book documents a variety of cases in which the Smithsonian has brokered culture for the American public: a planned exhibit on Jerusalem had to balance both Israeli and Palestinian agendas; debates over the 1996 Olympic Arts Festival presented differing visions of the American South; and the National Air and Space Museum's controversial display of the Enola Gay prompted the Smithsonian to re-examine the role of national museums. Arguing that cultural exhibits reflect a series of decisions about representing someone, someplace, and something, Reflections of a Culture Broker discusses the ethical and technical problems faced by not only those who practice in a museum setting but also anyone charged with representing culture in a public forum.

Reflections of a Culture Broker: A View From the Smithsonian

Arts & Photography

Collections, Catalogs & Exhibitions

Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press

Reflections of a Culture Broker: A View from the Smithsonian

Smithsonian

The Smithsonian Institution is America's largest, most important, and most beloved repository for the objects that define our common heritage. Now Under Secretary for Art, History, and Culture Richard Kurin, aided by a team of top Smithsonian curators and scholars, has assembled a literary exhibition of 101 objects from across the Smithsonian's museums that together offer a marvelous new perspective on the history of the United States.
Ranging from the earliest years of the pre-Columbian continent to the digital age, and from the American Revolution to Vietnam, each entry pairs the fascinating history surrounding each object with the story of its creation or discovery and the place it has come to occupy in our national memory. Kurin sheds remarkable new light on objects we think we know well, from Lincoln's hat to Dorothy's ruby slippers and Julia Child's kitchen, including the often astonishing tales of how each made its way into the collections of the Smithsonian. Other objects will be eye-opening new discoveries for many, but no less evocative of the most poignant and important moments of the American experience. Some objects, such as Harriet Tubman's hymnal, Sitting Bull's ledger, Cesar Chavez's union jacket, and the Enola Gay bomber, tell difficult stories from the nation's history, and inspire controversies when exhibited at the Smithsonian. Others, from George Washington's sword to the space shuttle Discovery, celebrate the richness and vitality of the American spirit. In Kurin's hands, each object comes to vivid life, providing a tactile connection to American history.
Beautifully designed and illustrated with color photographs throughout, The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects is a rich and fascinating journey through America's collective memory, and a beautiful object in its own right.

The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects

History & Criticism

Penguin Press

The Smithsonian is a repository of America's history, achievements, aspirations, and identity. It holds the artifacts of great leaders, and those of ordinary Americans. It houses scientific specimens and technological wonders. It is home to art, music, films, writings-a vast treasure trove of objects of extraordinary beauty and outstanding design.

Experiencing America: A Smithsonian Tour Through American History

The Great Courses

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Books by Richard Kurin