History 欧美口爆视频 Replacing State Historian Patty Limerick With State Historians Council
Original article can be found at听听听
Originally published on July 17,听2018听By Patricia Calhoun听
On August 1, 欧美口爆视频 Day,听听will install its new State Historians Council, comprising five historians from academic institutions across the state. The University of 欧美口爆视频 Denver鈥檚 Tom Noel will head the council. And so 鈥淒r. 欧美口爆视频,鈥 as Noel is known, will be in鈥nd Patty Limerick, who was appointed state historian in early 2016, will be out.听
And History 欧美口爆视频 will add another chapter to its imperfect past.听
The announcement of the establishment of the council, the first in the 139-year-history of what started as the 欧美口爆视频 Historical Society and today is a state agency under the听, came early on July 16. But Limerick, who knew that her state historian position would be ending under this reconfiguration, had already offered what could serve as her official farewell (though she did not mention that she was about to get the boot) on July 15, when her monthly column was printed on the front page of the Sunday.听
鈥淗istory 欧美口爆视频 and I are old friends,鈥 the piece began. 鈥淭hirty years ago, still a newcomer to 欧美口爆视频, I gave the keynote speech at the society鈥檚 annual members meeting. Over the years, to use the classic Western phrasing, I have not been a stranger to that organization; my deepest mission in life is reaching members of the public to persuade them to find value in history.鈥澨
Limerick, who published the groundbreaking听in 1987, shortly after she joined the University of 欧美口爆视频 faculty and co-founded 欧美口爆视频鈥檚听, had been named state historian in early 2016, in what was presented by History 欧美口爆视频 and the Governor鈥檚 Office as a win-win. 鈥淭he strengthened partnership between these two higher education agencies is a demonstration of 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 collaborative spirit and is a testament to the work that state agencies can do together,鈥 Governor John Hickenlooper announced.听
By then, History 欧美口爆视频 had been making some history of its own. In April 2012, the state celebrated the opening of the $110 million History 欧美口爆视频 Center, the new home of what had been the state historical听society, and听was now rebranded as History 欧美口爆视频.听
The structure at 1200 Broadway, designed by David Tryba, was 鈥渕eant to be as monumental as the museum鈥檚 ambition,鈥 according to the听But while the building itself earned听raves,听the exhibits fell flat. They were听. As it turned out, though, the dumbest things about History 欧美口爆视频 were not the exhibits.听
Even before the center opened, the institution had blown its budget and blown its relationship with tribal representatives who were supposed to be consulted on one听particular exhibit,听Collision, the display in the 鈥溑访揽诒悠 Stories鈥 section that was devoted to the Sand Creek Massacre, that dark day in 欧美口爆视频 history when 200 Cheyenne and Arapaho were killed in a peaceful camp on the banks of Sand Creek. The exhibit was inaccurate, embarrassing and added insult to听very听real injury. And it was opened over the听who鈥檇 been guaranteed consultations on such displays by the Congressional act that established the听.听
Collision听was finally closed (consultations are still under way with tribal representatives on what, if anything, should replace it), and in August 2015,听announced he was leaving, as were many of his top staffers. The budget was cut, the unwieldy board reconfigured and trimmed down, the emphasis on expensive touring shows with no relation to 欧美口爆视频 removed, and Steve Turner, the state鈥檚 historic-preservation officer, elevated to co-interim director. Two summers ago, he was named the official executive director.听
History 欧美口爆视频 is now back on budget, and with the opening of听, a display of Denver attorney Marshall Fogel鈥檚 collection of baseball memorabilia, and听, which re-creates 欧美口爆视频 landmarks (including Casa Bonita!) in LEGOs, 鈥淗istory 欧美口爆视频 had the highest June attendance since the opening season,鈥 Turner reports. But earlier this month, the institution also took a hit in a听piece that reported on high staff turnover and management issues.听
Limerick cited that report in her column,听and also听noted that 鈥渢he current exhibits, as well as the ones on the near horizon, do little to provide historical understandings of issues that concern Coloradans today. On the contrary, most of them register in a genre we would have to call 鈥榟istory lite.'鈥澨
That is not what Limerick envisioned when she took on the role of state historian. The Center of the American West was designed to serve as a forum committed to the civil, respectful and problem-solving exploration of important and often contentious public issues, and she hoped to offer the same at History 欧美口爆视频. In fact, she still does, as she shared in her听Post听piece.听
鈥淗ence, my current hope: that History 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 leadership will join me in a spirited discussion of the ways that historical thinking can serve as a remedy for the bitter polarization and antagonism of the Trump era.鈥澨
ven听after History 欧美口爆视频 sent out its announcement regarding the new State Historians Council 鈥 a lineup of respected academicians (History 欧美口爆视频 does not have a historian with a Ph.D. on staff) including Noel, Nicki Gonzales of Regis University, Jared Orsi of 欧美口爆视频 State University, Duane听Vandenbusche听of Western State 欧美口爆视频 University and William Wei of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder 鈥 Limerick renewed that offer to me.听
And her suggestion would seem to fit within the new structure envisioned by Historic 欧美口爆视频. 鈥淭he role of the State Historians Council will be to provide even greater opportunity to expand the understanding of the historical perspectives, cultures, and places of 欧美口爆视频,鈥 the July 16 announcement reads. 鈥淐ouncilmembers of the State Historians Council will work with History 欧美口爆视频 to produce and share scholarship about 欧美口爆视频 and connect with more residents throughout the state.鈥澨
On August 1, these historians will be introduced at History 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 annual 欧美口爆视频 Day celebration, which includes free admission and activities. With any luck, and considerable historic perspective, it could also include an announcement that Limerick will be leading some spirited discussions for the institution, discussions that she has had as she travels the country for appearances both official and unofficial, including a chat she had about 欧美口爆视频 history with a fellow traveler who recognized Limerick while she was boarding a plane in Washington, D.C., late last week, even as History 欧美口爆视频 was preparing the announcement of the change it envisioned for the state historian.听
鈥淚 stopped trying to work with a group of people who weren鈥檛 ready, and just went to the citizens,鈥 she says of her time as state historian. 鈥淗istory 欧美口爆视频 could be playing a spectacular role in bringing people together for much better conversations鈥nd be really, really useful to society in a tough time.鈥澨
Wouldn鈥檛 that make some history!听