BGuthrie Photos: DC -- Natl Museum of American History -- Exhibit: American Stories

DC -- Natl Museum of American History -- Exhibit: American Stories:

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Description of Pictures: Including the mini-exhibit Giving in America
December 1, 2015 – Indefinitely
The two Giving in America preview cases explore civic philanthropy over the past century. By the turn of the 20th century, a new generation of wealthy Americans increasingly supported secular as well as religious-based institutions, creating some of the nation’s most important and enduring museums, libraries, orchestras, universities, and hospitals. These philanthropists hoped not only to provide educational uplift to fellow citizens, but to showcase their cities on a national and international stage. In the 21st century, private giving continues to shape our culture and communities, through financial gifts big and small, and through donations of time and resources. The display will include a rotating selection of Giving Pledge letters and a kiosk to make all of the letters on loan to the Smithsonian available to visitors.

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Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. SIAHST_150213_003.JPG: Art Deco–style jewelry 1915–30 designed by Paul Flato Modern, bold, and a distinct break with the past, the decorative style known as Art Deco originated in France and found expression in American art, architecture, and fashion in the 1920s and 1930s. One of the best-known American jewelers of the time, Paul Flato, designed this aquamarine and ruby set.
2. SIAHST_150213_008.JPG: Red Cross hat 1917-18 worn by first lady Edith Wilson Although the United States entered World War I reluctantly in 1917, American involvement was decisive in ending the European conflict. As the United States prepared to mobilize an unprecedented 550,000 soldiers, American Red Cross chapters organized to provide relief for troops on the way to camps around the country and to overseas deployment. The Red Cross relied on volunteers to help with this effort, including first lady Edith Wilson.
3. SIAHST_150213_023.JPG: Statue late 1800s made by the Union Porcelain Works, Greenpoint, New York In the late 1800s, black Americans gained citizenship and the vote, while immigrants from Europe and Asia came to the country in record numbers. As these minorities strove for economic prosperity and social justice, some white Americans reacted to the rapidly changing social order with apprehension and hostility. The relationship of the three figures in this statue captures this tension.
4. SIAHST_150213_029.JPG: Cross 1875-99 made by a Hispanic Catholic in New Mexico New Mexico has experienced many cultural encounters since the arrival of the Spanish in the early 1500s. Following the United States' 1848 annexation of the area at the end of war with Mexico, the population of the territory boomed, bringing together Catholics of Spanish descent, indigenous tribes, Protestant missionaries, and Anglo American settlers. Though often in conflict, these communities forged a distinctive regional identity that survives to the present.
5. SIAHST_150213_035.JPG: Winchester rifle 1881 captured from Sioux when Chief Low Dog surrendered in Montana Territory Through most of the 1800s, Americans viewed the nation's westward expansion as a symbol of its providence as a land of wealth and progress. But Indian tribes resisted the encroachment of settlers in their territories, setting off decades of violence. The federal government gradually pushed the tribes to more isolated areas, offering U.S. citizenship, but few opportunities, to those who agreed to accept allotments of land on reservations.
6. SIAHST_150213_045.JPG: Railroad spike 1869 Commemorative of the final spike that completed the transcontinental railroad Railroads were the basis of the nation's industrial economy in the late 1800s, creating new markets, carrying billions of tons of freight to every corner of the country, and opening up the West for development. Thanks in part to the railroad providing access to new land for farming, agricultural production doubled in the 1870s, which in turn increased railroad traffic.
7. SIAHST_150213_063.JPG: Improved windmill patent model 1878 patented by Jesse Benson Taking advantage of wind as a free source of power was not new to the United States, but 19th-century American inventors did develop an American-style windmill that pumped underground water to arid fields and helped open up new lands to agricultural development. With this patent, Jesse Benson proposed a simplified windmill made all of sheet metal with few moving parts, due to "their liability to become frozen together by ice and sleet."
8. SIAHST_150213_068.JPG: Count von Count introduced 1972 Sesame Street's Transylvania counting expert Sesame Street debuted on PBS in 1969 and continues to be heralded for its success in combining education and entertainment through live actors and Jim Henson's Muppets. Conceived of by Sesame Street writer Norman Stiles and performed until 2012 by puppeteer Jerry Nelson, the Count loves to count. He counts everything from stairs to apples and oranges -- and even himself.
9. SIAHST_150213_078.JPG: Jumpsuit 1950s-1980s worn by Jack LaLanne Francois Henri "Jack" LaLanne is often credited as the founder of the modern physical fitness movement. The son of French immigrants, LaLanne embraced regular exercise and a healthful diet at a young age and became a national celebrity through his popular television show, which aired from 1951 to the mid-1980s.
10. SIAHST_150213_087.JPG: Video recorder used September 11, 2001 In New York to work on a documentary film about local firefighters, Jules Naudet used this video recorder to capture the only known footage of the first plane hitting the north tower of the World Trade Center and, later, the activity in the firefighters' command center inside the lobby of the building.
11. SIAHST_150213_094.JPG: A Room of Her Own: My Mother's Altar 2013 created by author Sandra Cisneros Sandra Cisneros, whose mother was from Chicago and father from Mexico City, has said that she created an ofrenda for her mother as "an homenaje (homage) to a self-educated woman... who never fulfilled her own suenos (dreams)." Elvira "Vera" Cisneros (nee Elvira Cordero Anguiano) loved museums, opera, and books, and dreamed of being an artist rather than a housewife and mother of seven children.
12. SIAHST_150213_100.JPG: Objects serve as touchstones for personal memory Ofrenda 2013 created by author Sandra Cisneros An ofrenda, or offending, to the deceased is an important part of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), celebrated on November 1-2 in Latin America, and increasingly in the United States. Decorated with flowers, candles, and food, plus portraits, personal belongings, and mementos of a loved one, an ofrenda helps to honor the dead.
13. SIAHST_150213_134.JPG: Adlai Stevenson's briefcase 1960s U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during the Cuban missile crisis The cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union shaped global politics for forty-five years after World War II. Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev's 1962 decision to install nuclear missiles in Cuba brought the two superpowers alarming close to nuclear war. Adlai Stevenson was one of few on President John F. Kennedy's Security Council to argue for a diplomatic rather than military response.
14. SIAHST_150213_140.JPG: Alice Paul's Equal Rights Amendment charm bracelet 1972 representing eleven of the thirty-five states that ratified the ERA Women's roles in the home, at work, and in society changed dramatically between 1923, when Alice Paul first proposed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the Constitution, and 1972, when Congress passed it. But the ERA fell three states short of ratification, ending the last serious quest for a constitutional amendment guaranteeing that men and women are granted equal rights under the law.
15. SIAHST_151203_006.JPG: C-3PO costume 1983 worn by Anthony Daniels in the 1983 movie Return of the Jedi Since the first Star Wars film was released in 1977, these George Lucas films have created cultural reference points for successive American generations. Each film in the series combined new technologies with timeless tales of struggles between good and evil. Droids and robots, such as C-3PO and R2-D2, play important roles in the Star Wars universe. Although they are functional machines, they are endowed with personalities that have endeared them to millions.
16. SIAHST_151203_017.JPG: Wolverine costume 2014 worn by Hugh Jackman in the movie X-Men: Days of Future Past Wolverine, a mutant with retractable claws and accelerated healing powers, first appeared in Marvel Comics in 1974 and in film with the X-Men series debut in 2000. Wolverine's antihero character evokes themes of alienation and rising above an abusive past. The experiences of the X-Men, feared and distrusted mutants, help audiences explain bigotry and intolerance.
17. SIAHST_151203_039.JPG: Kermit the Frog puppet 1970 created by Jim Henson Educators foresaw television's potential as an instructional tool as early as the 1930s, but the Public Broadcasting Act was not passed until 1967. Sesame Street debuted on PBS in 1969, with Kermit as the lead Muppet. The show has been heralded for its success in combining education with entertainment, and teaching everything from the alphabet to social tolerance, as in Kermit's hit song, "It's Not Easy Being Green."
18. SIAHST_151203_044.JPG: Henson first introduced his Muppets on the local television show Sam and Friends in 1955. The original Kermit (far right) was made from a coat discarded by Henson's mother.
19. SIAHST_151203_048.JPG: Bust of Andrew Carnegie 1908 made by John Massey Rhind Between 1886 and 1917 Andrew Carnegie financed the building of more than 1,600 libraries -- a famous example of American civic philanthropy. Carnegie proposed libraries as paths to good moral character and self-improvement for "those who will help themselves," as outlined in his Gospel of Wealth. His credo included the cities and towns requesting libraries. Carnegie required municipalities to pay for building maintenance and staffing, a private-public model still used today.
20. SIAHST_151203_056.JPG: Register book 1886-1917 showing libraries financed by Andrew Carnegie
21. SIAHST_151203_061.JPG: Painting of Skidmore Fountain 1914 by Henry Frederick Wentz, depicts the first public art purchased for the city of Portland, Oregon, in 1888 Portland-s wealthiest families sought to elevate aesthetic standards, initially lending artworks to their new institution, the Portland Art Association (later the Portland Art Museum). Eventually the artworks became permanent pieces of the museum's collection through bequests and gifts. Millionaires were later joined by middle-class donors who paid annual dues, a broadening of support repeated across the nation.
22. SIAHST_151203_079.JPG: Score for Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 about 1891 performed by the Chicago Orchestra (later the Chicago Symphony Orchestra) Chicago benefactors enjoyed Beethoven's Fifth Symphony during their new orchestra's first performance. Chicagoans wooed renowned conductor Theodore Thomas from New York to lead the orchestra.
23. SIAHST_151203_087.JPG: Existing comment: Gown, designed by Charles Frederick Worth about 1881 worn by philanthropist Mary Eno Pinchot Philanthropy created institutions that defined the social elite. Boards of trustees, auxiliary committees, and gala events brought a city's wealthiest patrons together, and reinforced philanthropy as a step to becoming a member of "high society." James and Mary Pinchot were both generous donors to museums and universities, and members of New York society -- roles that often overlapped.
24. SIAHST_151203_100.JPG: Catalogue of Paintings and Sculpture 1888 from the opening of the Detroit Museum of Art (later the Detroit Institute of Arts) Contributions from Detroit's elite founded the city's art museum in 1885, and helped launch its inaugural exhibition in 1888. In 2014 a new generation of philanthropists and foundations helped save the museum's art from being sold at auction to pay city debt.
25. SIAHST_151203_110.JPG: Giving in America Civic Philanthropy Before the Civil War, American charity was primarily conducted through religious institutions and "benevolent societies" by middle-class and wealthy individuals. However, by the 1890s, massive accumulations of wealth created thousands of new millionaires who increasingly gave to secular as well as religious-based institutions. Civil philanthropy produced some of America's most important and enduring institutions, including museums, libraries, orchestras, universities, and hospitals. These philanthropists believed their gifts provided educational uplift to workers and immigrants, and showcased their cities on the national and international stage. Though motivations have often shifted over time, civic philanthropy continues to the present day.
26. SIAHST_151203_123.JPG: Civic Philanthropy Today: Civic philanthropy continues to transform communities. From hosting bake sales and joining local booster clubs to giving multimillion-dollar gifts, donors have founded and transformed a new generation of museums, libraries, hospitals, and more by charitable giving. In the past decade, taxpayer support for such institutions has often declined or disappeared entirely, putting a renewed spotlight on philanthropy's relationship to cultural and civic spaces.
27. SIAHST_151203_126.JPG: My Philanthropic Pledge Warren Buffett In 2006, I made a commitment to gradually give all of my Berkshire Hathaway stock to philanthropic foundations. I couldn't be happier with that decision. Now, Bill and Melinda Gates and I are asking hundreds of rich Americans to pledge at least 50% of their wealth to charity. So I think it is fitting that I reiterate my intentions and explain the thinking that lies behind them. First, my pledge: More than 99% of my wealth will go to philanthropy during my lifetime or at death. Measured by dollars, this commitment is large. In a comparative sense, though, many individuals give more to others every day. Millions of people who regularly contribute to churches, schools, and other organizations thereby relinquish the use of funds that would otherwise benefit their own families. The dollars these people drop into a collection plate or give to United Way mean forgone movies, dinners out, or other personal pleasures. In contrast, my family and I will give up nothing we need or want by fulfilling this 99% pledge. Moreover, this pledge does not leave me contributing the most precious asset, which is time. Many people, including -- I'm proud to say -- my three children, give extensively of their own time and talents to help others. Gifts of this kind often prove far more valuable than money. A struggling child, befriended and nurtured by a caring mentor, receives a gift whose value far exceeds what can be bestowed by a check. My sister, Doris, extends significant person-to-person help daily. I've done little of this. What I can do, however, is to take a pile of Berkshire Hathaway stock certificates -- "claim checks" that when converted to cash can command far-ranging resources -- and commit them to benefit others who, through the luck of the draw, have received the short straws in life. To date about 20% of my shares have been distributed (including shares given by my late wife, Susan Buffett). I will continue to annually distribute about 4% of the shares I retain. At the latest, the proceeds from all of my Berkshire shares will be expended for philanthropic purposes by 10 years after my estate is settled. Nothing will go to endowments; I want the money spent on current needs. This pledge will leave my lifestyle untouched and that of my children as well. They have already received significant sums for their personal use and will receive more in the future. They live comfortable and productive lives. And I will continue to live in a manner that gives me everything that I could possibly want in life.
28. SIAHST_151203_130.JPG: Some material things make my life more enjoyable; many, however, would not. I like having an expensive private plane, but owning a half-dozen homes would be a burden. Too often, a vast collection of possessions ends up possessing its owner. The asset I most value, aside from health, is interesting, diverse, and long-standing friends. My wealth has come from a combination of living in America, some lucky genes, and compound interest. Both my children and I won what I call the ovarian lottery. (For starters, the odds against my 1930 birth taking place in the U.S. were at least 30 to 1. My being male and white also removed huge obstacles that a majority of Americans then faced.) My luck was accentuated by my living in a market system that sometimes produces distorted results, though overall it serves our country well. I've worked in an economy that rewards someone who saves the lives of others on a battlefield with a medal, rewards a great teacher with thank-you notes from parents, but rewards those who can detect the mispricing of securities with sums reaching into the billions. In short, fate's distribution of long straws is wildly capricious. The reaction of my family and me to our extraordinary good fortune is not guilt, but rather gratitude. Were we to use more than 1% of my claim checks on ourselves, neither our happiness nor our well-being would be enhanced. In contrast, that remaining 99% can have a huge effect on the health and welfare of others. That reality sets an obvious course for me and my family: Keep all we can conceivably need and distribute the rest to society, for its needs. My pledge starts us down that course.
29. SIAHST_151203_134.JPG: Giving Pledge letters 2010-2015 Launched by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett in 2010, the Giving Pledge is an initiative aimed at encouraging the world's wealthiest individuals to give more than half of their wealth to philanthropy as they see fit. The founders hope that the pledge fosters a national conversation about the importance of philanthropy in America.
30. SIAHST_151203_138.JPG: Coming in December 2016 A permanent display called "Giving in America" will open on the third floor. There you can learn how Americans, throughout their history, have given back to their nation and the world.
31. SIAHST_151203_141.JPG: Crystal Bridges membership bracelets 2011 given to the first 3,000 members Alice Walton's vision of civic philanthropy was realized in 2011 with the opening of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. Like cultural institutions past and present, Crystal Bridges has broadened support beyond large philanthropic gifts, with local donors adding membership dues to the millions donated by Crystal Bridges members. More than 3,000 joined in the first week memberships were offered.
32. SIAHST_151203_150.JPG: Washington Monument fragments from earthquake 2011 The Washington Monument has been a touchstone of giving throughout American history. Local communities helped raise funds to complete construction of the monument during the mid-1800s, and giving by individuals and corporations has helped maintain it. David Rubenstein stepped in most recently to repair the monument following the earthquake damage in 2011. Rubenstein is part of a growing number of philanthropists who have signed the Giving Pledge.
33. SIAHST_151203_156.JPG: Washington Monument donation box 1853
34. SIAHST_151203_159.JPG: Commemorative reopening ticket 2014
35. SIAHST_151203_162.JPG: July 21, 2010 Philanthropic Pledge David Rockefeller Philanthropists, at their best, try to address serious societal problems and occasionally come up with innovations that lead to enduring change In the end, success requires much more than financial resources, although money is, of course, essential. Good ideas are just as important; otherwise one risks wasting both the funds and the opportunity. Effective philanthropy also requires patience - patience to deal with unexpected obstacles; patience to wait for the first, slight stirrings of change; and patience to listen to the insights and ideas of others. For five generations, my family has experienced the real satisfaction and pleasure of philanthropy. Our engagement has helped to create a strong group of institutions, including the University of Chicago, The Rockefeller University, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. The practice of philanthropy also has enabled many of us to become personally involved in efforts to address critical global challenges such as poverty, health, sustainable development, and environmental degradation. Our family continues to be united in the belief that those who have benefitted the most from our nation's economic system have a special responsibility to give back to our society in meaningful ways. Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates share this belief and have challenged others to pledge half their assets to philanthropy during their lifetime or at their death. I am pleased to say this has long been my intent and my practice, and I am delighted to have been asked to participate in this important initiative. I hope that others will accept this challenge - and opportunity – and will join us in this worthwhile endeavor. I also hope that our efforts to expand the scope of philanthropy as individuals, in collaboration with others, and in ways that include not only financial resources but innovative ideas and patience, will be part of the gift we all bequeath to the future. Signed, David Rockefeller
36. SIAHST_151203_175.JPG: Women and Philanthropy Women who were note allowed to sign contracts, open bank accounts, or invest money without a husband's approval frequently did all of these as leaders of charity organizations. Philanthropy gave both married and single women access to worlds of finance, business, and public engagement that were otherwise closed. Charitable work was thus a milepost in the path to enfranchisement and greater equality.
37. SIAHST_151203_190.JPG: Art Deco–style jewelry 1915–30 designed by Paul Flato Modern, bold, and a distinct break with the past, the decorative style known as Art Deco originated in France and found expression in American art, architecture, and fashion in the 1920s and 1930s. One of the best-known American jewelers of the time, Paul Flato, designed this aquamarine and ruby set.
38. SIAHST_151203_198.JPG: Purse with identification and immigration paperwork 1930s-40s carried by a European emigre to the United States in 1946 Anti-immigration laws enacted in the 1920s limited the number of European refugees trying to enter the United States to escape Nazi persecution in the 1930s and 1940s. Austrian Jews Camilla and Hermann Hottlieb sent their daughter to America before World War II but were themselves unable to enter at that time. They were sent to Theresienstadt, a Nazi concentration camp, where Hermann died in 1943.
39. SIAHST_151203_206.JPG: Jonas Salk's polio vaccine 1954–55 vial of some of the first vaccine given to humans Although Jonas Salk's polio vaccine promised to eradicate one of the most feared diseases of the early 20th century, its acceptance was hardly easy. Many people feared catching the disease from the vaccine and, in fact, poor quality control by one of the manufacturers led to the infection of about 200,000 people. Others worried about the role of the federal government in administering the vaccine. Today, polio vaccines have eliminated the paralyzing disease throughout most of the world.
40. SIAHST_151203_210.JPG: Six-year-old Randy Kerr receiving the first polio vaccination, in McLean, Virginia, on April 26, 1954
41. SIAHST_151203_214.JPG: DNA model template 1953 from Francis Crick and James Watson's original model Francis Crick and James Watson's discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA, the molecule responsible for our genetic inheritance, was one of the great scientific breakthroughs of the 20th century. It opened up the world of genetic testing, crime scene forensics, and even genetic engineering.
42. SIAHST_151203_220.JPG: American James Watson (left), Briton Francis Crick (right), and fellow British researcher Maurice Wilkins were jointly awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine.
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Description of Subject Matter: American Stories
April 12, 2012 – Indefinitely
A chronological look at the people, inventions, issues, and events that shape the American story, this exhibition showcases more than 100 historic and cultural touchstones of American history from the museum's vast holdings, supplemented by a few loans. A changing exhibition space features new acquisitions. Highlights include:
* a fragment of Plymouth Rock
* a section of the first transatlantic telegraph cable
* a sunstone capital from the Latter-day Saints temple at Nauvoo, Illinois
* the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz
* baseballs used by Babe Ruth and Sam Streeter
* a Kermit the Frog puppet
* clothing artifacts, including a “quincea�era” gown worn for a 15th-birthday celebration
* Apolo Ohno’s speed skates from the 2002 Winter Olympics
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- 2012_DC_SIAH_Stories: DC -- Natl Museum of American History -- Exhibit: American Stories (127 photos from 2012)
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2015 photos: Equipment this year: I mostly used my Fuji XS-1 camera but, depending on the event, I also used a Nikon D7000. I retired from the US Census Bureau in god-forsaken Suitland, Maryland on my 58th birthday in May. Yee ha! Trips this year: a quick trip to Florida. two Civil War Trust conferences (Raleigh, NC and Richmond, VA), and my 10th consecutive San Diego Comic-Con trip (including Los Angeles). Ego Strokes: Carolyn Cerbin used a Kevin Costner photo in her USA Today article. Miss DC pictures were used a few times in the Washington Post. Number of photos taken this year: just over 550,000.
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Photo Contact: [Email Bruce Guthrie].