President. the Smithsonian. perhaps our most prestigious educational institution. has never attempted to explore this comparative perspective of how our Nation came to be peopled. For whatever reason. the institution has failed to examine the college of relationships that shaped the values. attitudes. and behaviors of our various constituencies. Aside from occasional. temporary exhibits on a specific immigration or migration topic. such as the Museum of American Historys recent exhibit on the northern migration of AfricanAmericans. none of the Smithsonians many museums and facilities has tasked itself to examine any aspect of this phenomenon. the peopling of America experience. much less offered a global review of the subject. This shortcoming derives. in part. from the fact that the Smithsonian. for all its reputation as a worldclass research and educational organization. remains an institution rooted In 19th century intellectual taxonomy. For example. during the early years of the Smithsonian. the cultures of Northern and Western European Americans were originally represented at the Museum of Science and Industry. which eventually became the Museum of American History.
Keywords matched
immigration