Riches Rivals And Radicals

Since it was first published in 2006, Riches, Rivals and Radicals has been the go-to text for introductory museum studies courses. It is also of great value to professionals as well as museum lovers who want to learn the stories behind how and why these institutions have evolved since the day the first mastodon bones, royal portraits and botanical specimens entered their halls. For this third edition, Marjorie Schwarzer has mined new resources, previously unavailable archives and contemporary trends to provide a fresh look at the challenges and innovations that have shaped museums in the United States. Schwarzer argues that museums are fundamentally optimistic institutions. They build and preserve some of the nation’s most extraordinary architecture. They showcase the beauty and promise of new scientific discoveries, historical breakthroughs and artistic creation. They provide places of inspiration and repose. At the same time, museums have succeeded in exposing some of the nation’s most painful legacies – racism, inequity, violence – as they strive to be places for healing and reckoning. This too, one could argue, is an act of optimism, for it expresses the hope that museum visitors will gain empathy and understanding from the evidence of others’ struggles. Schwarzer shows us how museums are rooted in a contentious history tied to social, technological and economic trends and ultimately changing ideas of what it means to be a citizen. Along the way we meet some notorious and eccentric characters including business tycoons, architects, collectors, designers, politicians, political activists and progressive educators, all of whom have exerted their influence on what is a complex yet nonetheless enduring institution. Major additions since the last edition include material on digital curation, emergent exhibitions about civil rights, immersive museum environments, continuing efforts to diversify the field, how museums' role in our increasingly digital society, and a new foreword by American Alliance of Museums President and CEO Laura L. Lott. Museums new to this edition include the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Beautifully written and lavishly illustrated, the third edition of this accessible, award-winning book brings the reader up to date on the stories behind the people and events that have transformed America’s museums from their beginnings into today’s vibrant cultural institutions.

Highly illustrated, exhaustively researched, and eminently readable, Riches, Rivals and Radicals describes the rise of the museums in America from the early 20th century to the early 21st--a story that parallels the historic changes in the United States. Through the decades, museums transformed themselves from cabinets of curiosity to centers of civic pride and prestige, stewards of who and what we are, our shared heritage, good and bad. The museum story is "filled with many notable and even some notorious characters," writes Marjorie Schwarzer, chair of the museum studies department at John F. Kennedy University. "How the American museum got to where it is today has required a long journey, sometimes arduous, often fascinating." Published in celebration of AAM's centennial and The Year of the Museum.

Highly illustrated, exhaustively researched, and eminently readable, Riches, Rivals and Radicals describes the rise of the museums in America from the early 20th century to the early 21st--a story that parallels the historic changes in the United States. Through the decades, museums transformed themselves from cabinets of curiosity to centers of civic pride and prestige, stewards of who and what we are, our shared heritage, good and bad. The museum story is "filled with many notable and even some notorious characters," writes Marjorie Schwarzer, chair of the museum studies department at John F. Kennedy University. "How the American museum got to where it is today has required a long journey, sometimes arduous, often fascinating." Published in celebration of AAM's centennial and The Year of the Museum.

What kinds of jobs are available in museums? How do museums work? What opportunities are there in museum research and collection, preserving and cataloging, exhibiting and interpreting, publicity, administration, event planning, catering, support? Creative Careers in Museums answers all these questions and many more, with full information on how everyone can pinpoint and showcase their existing skills--then turn those skills into a dream job at a museum or other cultural institution. Interviews with people who have made career transitions into the field are packed with practical and inspiring ideas, and there’s even information on starting new museums. Advice on targeting potential employers, putting together a resume, interviewing, and landing the job, plus an extensive resource list, make this the perfect starting point for anyone who wants to work in a museum.

For the past three decades, many history professors have allowed their biases to distort the way America’s past is taught. These intellectuals have searched for instances of racism, sexism, and bigotry in our history while downplaying the greatness of America’s patriots and the achievements of “dead white men.” As a result, more emphasis is placed on Harriet Tubman than on George Washington; more about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II than about D-Day or Iwo Jima; more on the dangers we faced from Joseph McCarthy than those we faced from Josef Stalin. A Patriot’s History of the United States corrects those doctrinaire biases. In this groundbreaking book, America’s discovery, founding, and development are reexamined with an appreciation for the elements of public virtue, personal liberty, and private property that make this nation uniquely successful. This book offers a long-overdue acknowledgment of America’s true and proud history.

An in-depth look at how democratic values have widened the American arts scene, even as it remains elite and cosmopolitan Two centuries ago, wealthy entrepreneurs founded the American cathedrals of culture—museums, theater companies, and symphony orchestras—to mirror European art. But today’s American arts scene has widened to embrace multitudes: photography, design, comics, graffiti, jazz, and many other forms of folk, vernacular, and popular culture. What led to this dramatic expansion? In Entitled, Jennifer Lena shows how organizational transformations in the American art world—amid a shifting political, economic, technological, and social landscape—made such change possible. By chronicling the development of American art from its earliest days to the present, Lena demonstrates that while the American arts may be more open, they are still unequal. She examines key historical moments, such as the creation of the Museum of Primitive Art and the funneling of federal and state subsidies during the New Deal to support the production and display of culture. Charting the efforts to define American genres, styles, creators, and audiences, Lena looks at the ways democratic values helped legitimate folk, vernacular, and commercial art, which was viewed as nonelite. Yet, even as art lovers have acquired an appreciation for more diverse culture, they carefully select and curate works that reflect their cosmopolitan, elite, and moral tastes.

“The pitfalls, potential, and the ins and outs of charitable giving . . . a must-read for all nonprofit leaders, donors, and students.”—Marjorie Schwarzer, award-winning author of Riches, Rivals, and Radicals There are thousands of books that tell you how to get money, but few that cover something just as challenging: how to give money away. Giving with Confidence provides thoughtful guidance culled from decades of experience in the philanthropy world. Whether you are an individual who donates to your favorite charity or the head of a small to medium-sized foundation, the gentle practicalities of this book will enable you to manage your giving with effectiveness and personal satisfaction. By following its seven core principles, you will have what you need for “improving the reach, scope, and impact” of your contributions. “Reveals the secret sauce of philanthropy with humor, wisdom, and plain good storytelling. This book is a gift for anyone who has considered giving.”—Ralph Lewin, president and CEO of Cal Humanities “There is a ton of advice for the wealthiest givers, but none for those of us who give more than $5,000 but less than $75,000 per year. Here in a non-dogmatic style are some approaches and guidelines to make donors feel more effective. Thank you, Cole and Fred.”—Jan Masaoka, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits “[An] outstanding guide to creative and effective grantmaking, this time for the individual philanthropist.”—Dawn Hawk, program officer for the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation “Part up-to-date behind-the-scenes guide, part how-to, this potent little book distills the wisdom of a life’s work in philanthropy by one of our best thinkers and most devoted practitioners.”—Marilyn Bancel, author of Preparing Your Capital Campaign

Written by a Russian prince who renounced his title, this work promotes an anarchist market economy — a system of autonomous cooperative collectives. A century after its initial publication, it remains fresh and relevant.