Michigan female leaders support creation of new Smithsonian museum
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Have you ever thought that the stories of your mothers, grandmothers or female colleagues and friends have left an impression that might interest others?
If so, and you’d like to share your experience, the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum would love to hear from you as it prepares to build its first museum dedicated to American women.
The museum is inviting people to submit a short video or digital story of a woman who made an impact as part of its recently launched story collection campaign, a precursor to the new Women’s Museum that is set to open sometime on the National Mall in Washington DC.
The venerable 175-year-old Smithsonian has 21 museums and nine research centers – but none of them are dedicated to women.
“The Smithsonian’s mission is to advance knowledge and share that knowledge and to inspire people not only about the past but also about the future,” said Elizabeth Babcock, who was hired June 3 as the first director of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.
Babcock spoke about the new museum at Inforum’s 62nd annual meeting on June 20 at the Troy Marriott, titled “Becoming Visible: The Importance of Women’s Stories.”
The museum administration called for submissions of videos and digital stories in March and has so far received several hundred submissions, she said.
Babcock helps determine the museum’s programming, digital engagement, collections and collaboration priorities, and also participates in the design and planning of the physical museum, which she estimates will take about a decade to build.
“In my first month, I have been inspired by the work of this new museum to expand America’s history through the often untold stories and achievements of women – individually and collectively – to better understand our past and inspire us for the future,” Babcock told me.
The lack of museums that focus on women is unfortunately part of a larger trend. “There are 35,000 museums in the United States, but the International Association of Women’s Museums only lists a few dozen museums that focus on women in the U.S.,” Babcock said.
In Washington, there has been a push for the opening of a women’s museum for years. The bill establishing the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum was passed by Congress on December 27, 2020.
Jane Abraham, wife of former U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham, co-chairs the museum’s advisory board with fashion designer Tory Burch and co-chairs the museum’s Women Making History network, which consists of regional committees in Michigan and other states.
In Michigan, incoming CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Tricia Keith, former GM executive Vivian Pickard, DTE’s JoAnn Chavez, Colleen Ocha Peters, wife of U.S. Senator Gary Peters, political strategist Jill Alper and consultant Anne Mervenne are just a few names of the members of the regional committee tasked with raising funds and publicizing the museum.
“Throughout history, women have influenced the development of humanity,” said Telva McGruder, executive director of Global Manufacturing at GM, who also appeared at the Inforum event and moderated a panel discussion. GM is a donor to the Smithsonian Institution.
“Whether women have been at the center of new innovations, social change, or influencing societal norms, their contributions have often not been adequately recognized or honored,” McGruder said. “I am pleased that the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum is curating the history of American women in creative and substantive ways and that people of all ages from around the world have the opportunity to better understand American history.”
Terry Barclay, President and CEO of Inforum, added, “Michigan is home to so many stories of how women in our state have changed the world, from the music of Motown to the transformation of the automotive industry and more. These stories have the power to inspire conversations, connections and positive change, especially for future generations of women and girls making their way in the world.”
Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, president of Oakland University and a member of the committee, said, “It is exciting that the Smithsonian recognizes the important role women have played in every aspect of American history. They have influenced the founding of our country, participated in the emancipation of slaves, ensured that they themselves received the right to vote, made important scientific discoveries, and held top positions in government, academia, and business.”
Sonia Hassan Duggan, wife of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, also a member of the committee, added: “It is an important addition to our cultural landscape and aims to address the severe underrepresentation of women in historical narratives. By recognizing and celebrating women’s lives, work and stories, this impactful initiative will highlight the essential contributions of women from all walks of life. We look forward to helping to spotlight the lives of the incredible women of Detroit and Michigan.”
Babcock said the legislation that led to the museum’s creation calls for a partnership between federal and private funding to support the museum. “We have already raised over $65 million and are grateful for the support of many founding donors and founding members, as well as other individuals, foundations and organizations.”
Babcock is hopeful as she continues to raise money for the museum because its message and impact on our nation is vital: “This shows how important it is to have a museum that focuses on women’s stories so that both men and women, boys and girls, can learn more about the 51% of us whose stories have not been told. This is a critical step toward a more comprehensive representation of American history and an opportunity to dramatically increase opportunities for women and girls.”
For more information about the museum’s story campaign, visit https://womenshistory.si.edu/story.
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Contact Carol Cain: 248-355-7126 or [email protected]. She is the executive producer/host of “Michigan Matters,” which airs Sundays at 5:30 on CBS Detroit and Sundays at noon on Detroit 50 WKBD. Catch Jim Holcomb, Chris Holman, Wafa Dinaro, Crystal Gunn and Martin Manna on the show this Sunday. You can also catch the show on Fubu, Pluto TV, YoutubeTV, Apple TV in those two networks’ listings.
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