A self evident truth, right? And yet, only 11% of the stories in US history textbooks are about women and less than 10% of public monuments across the US are of women — a statistic which includes mermaids!
No doubt this surprises some of you, as does the fact that among the 11 Smithsonian museums on the National Mall in Washington, DC, there is still not a museum documenting the stories of the multiple ways that women contributed to every part of the American Experience.
But finally, after decades of advocacy from women leaders, there will be such a museum in the Nation’s Capital…hopefully, in my lifetime!
(l-r) The Smithsonian American Women’s History Executive Director Elizabeth Babcock, Smithsonian Board member Cheryl Neal, and Pat Mitchell.
This past weekend at an event hosted by Cheryl Neal, Smithsonian Board member and longtime supporter and advocate, I had the opportunity to interview the new Executive Director of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum (SAWHM), Elizabeth Babcock. She shared updates on the programs already underway and the plans going forward for collecting the stories of American women — some known, but many still unknown and uncelebrated, and deserving of their own place in American history and in the Smithsonian collections, which received 16.9 million visitors this year.
One of the most popular of the Smithsonian's 21 museums, 14 research centers and National Zoo is the recent addition of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened in 2016 after many years and struggles to fund and build.
Similarly, it's been a long journey for American women to have a museum of their own. The idea for the museum was first broached in 1995. The legislation has been led through many hurdles by the indomitable New York Congresswoman Carolyn Mahoney and on the Senate side, Maine Senator Susan Collins, as well as other important congressional allies from both sides of the aisle.
Nancy Pelosi donating her gavel to the Smithsonian. Beside her are other objects from the Institute’s collections representing women’s firsts. (Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institute)
Some longtime readers may remember an earlier posting about a memorable call I received from the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. She asked me to serve on a bipartisan congressional commission whose mission was to make the case for a women’s history museum.
I accepted that challenge with enthusiasm, given my commitment to elevating women’s stories on each and every platform possible. Along with seven other women leaders — Jane Abraham, Mary Boies, Bridget Bush, Marilyn Musgrave, Maria Pesqueira, Emily Rafferty, Kathy Wills Wright — we met regularly, dedicating many hours to meet with scholars, architects, museum consultants and congressional staff to prepare a report for Congress that would lead to approvals to move forward.
The mission of this new museum, we wrote in our report, is to create space for women’s history on the Mall, to deepen our nation’s stories by assembling collections of the often untold and largely unknown ways that women, across every sector of American life, were instrumental in the development of communities, arts and culture, science and medicine, and governments. We also highlighted the need for this museum to be comprehensive and inclusive, to fully reflect the range of experiences, challenges, and accomplishments of American women.
Courtesy of the American Museum of Women's History Congressional Commission
Not an easy task, but the commissioners, representing as we did, diverse and sometimes divergent views about the roles of women and how they evolved over the past 300+ years, worked together to shape a shared narrative and a collective vision. We were modeling, in part, why it’s so important for us to know more and understand more fully how women navigated and evolved their lives and work in the past, for current and future generations to be better prepared to face tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities.
We delivered our report to Congress in 2016, legislation establishing the museum was finally passed at the end of 2020, and in 2022, the Smithsonian's Board of Regents chose two possible locations on the Mall that are awaiting congressional approval. (There are two museums planned for the Mall. The other new museum will be the National Museum of the American Latino.)
Since the museum's authorization in 2020, an Advisory Council was appointed by the Smithsonian Board of Regents. I am privileged to serve on the Council, alongside tennis great Billie Jean King; fashion designer Tory Burch; actress Rosario Dawson; actress and philanthropist, Lynda Carter; and other accomplished women. The Chair is the extraordinary Jane Abraham who also brilliantly led the SAWHM Commission and now also co-chairs the Smithsonian's Campaign for Our Shared Future. That campaign, co-chaired by Atlantan Cheryl Neal, has a goal to raise $2.5 billion to support four priority areas across the institution, including sustainability, powering creativity and innovation, and opening pathways to new knowledge.
With Elizabeth Babcock at the helm, and with her small but mighty team in place, SAWHM programming and special initiatives are already being curated, created, and launched. To date, there have been over 200 special women-focused exhibitions and projects across the Smithsonian’s family of museums — already proving that knowing more about the past is essential to fully appreciate the progress American women have made, to be inspired, and to protect what has been gained.
Of course, museums are not just about chronicling the past, museums are also about creating space for new ideas and innovations, for modeling possibilities and pathways for the future. The SAWHM is committed to delivering on that promise by optimizing the latest tools and technologies to be a platform for the dynamic and ever evolving stories of American women today — and tomorrow.
One new project just launched, with personal resonance for me, is an in-depth oral history and education project. We Do Declare: Women’s Voices on Independence explores the history of the financial independence of women.
To put that independence in perspective (and knowing that history personally, I can), before the 1974 Equal Credit Opportunity Act, as a single, divorced woman with a young son to support, I could not get a credit card in my name or a bank loan to buy a house — and I was a college teacher with two graduate degrees! The brave women who fought for this legislation made both possible for me and for the generations of American women since.
Once the museum site is finalized, it will take several years to design the building, craft the inaugural set of exhibitions and programs, and yes, to fundraise. You can get involved, too. Congress approved a 50/50 model for the museum's funding, meaning that 50% will come from Congress and 50% will come from private funders.
I'm happy to say that the response has already been incredible. Our Giving Tuesday campaign was a resounding success, but this 25-year journey is not over. In fact, in many ways, it's just beginning.
If you're interested in becoming a Charter Member of the SAWHM, learn more at their website. Scott and I are giving memberships to all of our grandchildren this year and we hope you’ll consider the gift of membership this holiday season, too, to ensure the “gift” of American women’s stories and contributions will have a deserved place in the hearts and minds of those who visit the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum — opening date TBD!
Onwards!
- Pat
