The Washington Scene, 1977-1981

Author(s): Richard G. Hewlett

Source: The Public Historian, Vol. 21, No. 3, The National Council on Public History:
Reflections on a Twentieth Anniversary (Summer, 1999), pp. 39-42
Published by: University of California Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3378958
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P u b l i c H i s t o r y i n t h e F e d e r a l
Go ve r n me n t : P e r s pe c t i ve s a n d
A n a l y s e s
T h e Wa s h i n gt o n S c e n e ,
1 9 7 7 - 1 9 8 1
RICH A RD G. H EWLET T
IN T H E T H IRT Y YEA RS fo l l o wi n g Wo r l d Wa r II, h i s t o r y o ffi c e s i n t h e fe d e r a l
go ve r n me n t we r e fe w a n d ve r y fa r b e t we e n . By t h a t I me a n t h a t t h e r e wa s
ve i y l i t t l e c o n t a c t b e t we e n t h e m. T h e a r me d s e r vi c e s s po n s o r e d t h e mo s t
a c t i ve a n d pr o d u c t i ve pr o gr a ms , wh i c h we r e d e s i gn e d t o c a pt u r e t h e "l e s -
s o n s " o f t h e wa r y e a r s . P r e e mi n e n t a mo n gt h e s e wa s t h e a r my h i s t o r i c a l
o ffi c e , s t a ffe d l a r ge l y b y a c a d e mi c h i s t o r i a n s wh o h a d b e e n t e a c h i n ga t t h e
c o l l e ge o r u n i ve r s i t y l e ve l b e fo r e t h e wa r a n d wh o we r e n o w e n ga ge d i n
c o mpl e t i n g t h e e i gh t - t h r e e - vo l u me 4'gr e e n b o o k" s e r i e s . T h e o l d e s t fe d e r a l
h i s t o xy pr o gr a m wa s i n t h e S t a t e De pa r t me n t , wh i c h pr o d u c e d t h e F o r e i gn
Re l a t i o n s S e r i e s . A fe w o t h e r d e pa r t me n t s , s u c h a s A gr i c u l t u r e , La b o r , a n d
In t e r i o r , s t a ffe d h i s t o r i a n s wh o we r e a b l e t o d e vo t e a t l e a s t s o me o f t h e i r
t i me t o h i s t o r i c a l wo r k.
Wh e n I wa s s u d d e n l y fa c e d i n t h e s pr i n go f 1 9 57 wi t h t h e t a s k o f
o r ga n i zi n g a h i s t o i y pr o je c t a t t h e A t o mi c En e r gy Co mmi s s i o n , I t u r n e d t o
t h e a r my h i s t o r i c a l o ffi c e fo r a d vi c e a n d a s s i s t a n c e , ma i n l y b e c a u s e , l i ke t h e
a r my h i s t o r i a n s , I h a d b e e n c h a r ge d t o wr i t e a mu l t i - vo l u me s c h o l a r l y
RICH A RD G. H EWLET T i s a fo u n d e r a n d s e n i o r vi c e pr e s i d e n t o f H i s t o r y A s s o c i a t e s In c o r po -
r a t e d . H e wa s c h i e f h i s t o r i a n o f t h e U. S . A t o mi c En e r gy Co mmi s s i o n a n d i t s s u c c e s s o r
a ge n c i e s , 1 9 57 - 1 9 8 0. H e s e r ve d o n t h e Bo a r d o f Di r e c t o r s o f t h e Na t i o n a l Co u n c i l o n
P u b l i c H i s t o r y fr o m 1 9 8 0 t o 1 9 8 5 a n d o n t h e Ed i t o r i a l Bo a r d o f T h e P u b l i c H i s t o r i a n fr o m
1 9 8 1 t o 1 9 8 6.
39
T h e P u b l i c H i s t o r i a n , Vo l . 21 , No . 3 (S u mme r 1 9 9 9 )
(C) 1 9 9 9 b y t h e Re ge n t s o f t h e Un i ve r s i t y o f Ca l i fo r n i a a n d
t h e Na t i o n a l Co u n c i l o n P u b l i c H i s t o r y
40 * T H EP UBLIC H IS T ORIA N
h i s t o r y . No t u n t i l we we r e we l l i n t o o u r r e s e a r c h d i d we t a ke t h e t i me t o
c o n s u l t t h e h i s t o r i c a l o ffi c e s a t S t a t e a n d De fe n s e i n o r d e r t o ga i n a c c e s s t o
r e c o r d s h e l d b y t h o s e d e pa r t me n t s . Be c a u s e vi r t u a l l y n o n e o f t h e r e c o r d s
r e l a t e d t o t h e wa r t i me a t o mi c e n e r gy pr o je c t h a d y e t r e a c h e d t h e Na t i o n a l
A r c h i ve s , we h a d n o r e a s o n t o go t h e r e . S o fo r t h e n e xt fi ft e e n y e a r s , we
b u r i e d o u r s e l ve s i n o u r r e s e a r c h a n d wr i t i n gwi t h n o t h o u gh t o r c o n c e r n
a b o u t wh a t o t h e r fe d e r a l h i s t o r i a n s mi gh t b e d o i n g. A n d , I mi gh t a d d , n o n e
o f t h e m s e e me d t o h a ve a n y i n t e r e s t i n u s .
A l l t h i s b e ga n t o c h a n ge i n t h e mi d - 1 9 7 0s , wh e n t h e mo s t s e ve r e jo b c r i s i s
s i n c e Wo r l d Wa r II h i t t h e h i s t o r i c a l pr o fe s s i o n . Gr a d u a t e h i s t o r y d e pa r t -
me n t s we r e c h u r n i n go u t s c o r e s o f h i s t o r i a n s wi t h n o pl a c e t o go . S o
d e s pe r a t e wa s t h e s i t u a t i o n t h a t t h e A me r i c a n H i s t o r i c a l A s s o c i a t i o n a n d t h e
Or ga n i za t i o n o f A me r i c a n H i s t o r i a n s d e c i d e d t o ge t h e r i n 1 9 7 6 t o t a ke
u n pr e c e d e n t e d a c t i o n . T h e y a gr e e d t o fu n d a Na t i o n a l Co o r d i n a t i n g Co m-
mi t t e e fo r t h e P r o mo t i o n o f H i s t o r y , a mo ve t h a t e ve n t u a l l y wo u l d gi ve t h e
pr o fe s s i o n fo r t h e fi r s t t i me s o me t h i n g o f a l o b b y i n g pr e s e n c e i n Wa s h i n g-
t o n . T h e c o mmi t t e e , s t a ffe d i n i t i a l l y b y o n e h i s t o r i a n , wa s h o u s e d i n A H A
h e a d qu a r t e r s , wi t h i n t wo b l o c ks o f t h e Ca pi t o l .
Wi t h n o e xpe r i e n c e i n a n y t h i n g r e s e mb l i n g l o b b y i n g a c t i vi t i e s , t h e n e w
c o mmi t t e e t u r n e d t o h i s t o r i a n s o n t h e s c e n e i n Wa s h i n gt o n fo r h e l p, a n d
t h a t me a n t fo r t h e mo s t pa r t h i s t o r i a n s i n t h e fe d e r a l go ve r n me n t . Ma c k
T h o mps o n , t h e e xe c u t i ve s e c r e t a r y o f t h e A me r i c a n H i s t o r i c a l A s s o c i a t i o n ,
a s ke d me t o o r ga n i ze a F e d e r a l Go ve r n me n t Re s o u r c e Gr o u p. T h e gr o u p's
a s s i gn me n t , a s I r e c a l l i t , wa s t o pu l l t o ge t h e r s o me fe d e r a l h i s t o r i a n s wh o
c o u l d pr o vi d e i n fo r ma t i o n t o t h e Co o r d i n a t i n g Co mmi t t e e . By t h a t t i me I
wa s wo r ki n gc l o s e l y wi t h A r n i t a Jo n e s , wh o h a d t a ke n o ve r a s e xe c u t i ve
o ffi c e r o f t h e c o mmi t t e e .
F r o m 1 9 7 7 u n t i l 1 9 8 1 , t h e Re s o u r c e Gr o u p c o n s i s t e d o f s i x o r e i gh t
h i s t o r i a n s fr o m a s ma n y fe d e r a l d e pa r t me n t s a n d a ge n c i e s . A s I r e me mb e r
i t , t h e Re s o u r c e Gr o u p d i d n o t s pe n d mu c h t i me t i y i n gt o fi n d jo b s i n
Wa s h i n gt o n fo r a c a d e mi c h i s t o r i a n s . Ra t h e r , we s o o n b e c a me a wa r e o f t h e
l o w s t a t u s a n d e xpl o i t a t i o n t h a t ma n y fe d e r a l h i s t o r i a n s fa c e d . We we r e
s h o c ke d t o d i s c o ve r t h a t , u n d e r Ci vi l S e r vi c e r e gu l a t i o n s , a pe r s o n wi t h a
h i gh s c h o o l d i pl o ma c o u l d qu a l i fy fo r a po s i t i o n a s a h i s t o r i a n , wh i l e
s t a n d a r d s fo r o t h e r pr o fe s s i o n s r e qu i r e d gr a d u a t e d e gr e e s . We d e pl o r e d t h e
b u r e a u c r a t i c o b s t a c l e s t h a t we l l - qu a l i fi e d h i s t o r i a n s fa c e d i n pl a c i n gt h e i r
n a me s o n Ci vi l S e r vi c e r e gi s t e r s t h a t we r e l o a d e d wi t h mi d - l e ve l c l e r ks a n d
o t h e r n o n pr o fe s s i o n a l s . We l e a r n e d o f t h e fr u s t r a t i o n s t h a t fe d e r a l h i s t o r i -
a n s fe l t i n t r y i n gt o s e l e c t qu a l i fi e d c a n d i d a t e s fr o m t h e s e l i s t s . We e ve n me t
wi t h Ci vi l S e r vi c e o ffi c i a l s wh o l i s t e n e d pa t i e n t l y t o o u r c o mpl a i n t s a n d t h e n
e xpl a i n e d h o w d i ffi c u l t i t wa s t o c h a n ge t h e s y s t e m.
A n o b vi o u s wa y t o b r i n gfe d e r a l h i s t o r i a n s t o ge t h e r wa s t o pu b l i s h a
d i r e c t o xy o f fe d e r a l h i s t o r i c a l o ffi c e s , b o t h i n Wa s h i n gt o n a n d e l s e wh e r e i n
t h e n a t i o n . T h e Re s o u r c e Gr o u p d r a ft e d pl a n s fo r a d i r e c t o r y a n d s u b mi t t e d
T H EWA S H INGT ON S CENE, 1 9 7 7 - 1 9 8 1 * 41
a pr o po s a l t o t h e Na t i o n a l Co o r d i n a t i n g Co mmi t t e e . Ma c k T h o mps o n a n d
A r n i t a Jo n e s r e a d i l y a gr e e d t o s u ppo r t s u c h a n e ffo r t , a n d I r e c a l l h e l pi n gt o
d e s i gn t h e fi r s t e d i t i o n o f t h e d i r e c t o r y i n my De pa r t me n t o f En e r gy o ffi c e
a t Ge r ma n t o wn , pr o b a b l y i n 1 9 7 8 . T h a t fi r s t d i r e c t o r y wa s pu b l i s h e d b y t h e
Na t i o n a l Co o r d i n a t i n g Co mmi t t e e , t wo y e a r s b e fo r e t h e S o c i e t y fo r H i s t o r y
i n t h e F e d e r a l Go ve mme n t c a me i n t o e xi s t e n c e .
It s o o n b e c a me a ppa r e n t t h a t o u r s ma l l r e s o u r c e gr o u p wa s u n l i ke l y o n i t s
o wn t o ma ke mu c h h e a d wa y wi t h t h e i s s u e s we we r e e n c o u n t e r i n g. T h e
o b vi o u s b u t l o n g- r a n ge s o l u t i o n wa s t o b r i n gfe d e r a l h i s t o r i a n s t o ge t h e r i n
a n o r ga n i za t i o n t h a t wo u l d h a ve s o me c l o u t . F r o m wh a t I h a ve d e s c r i b e d a s
t h e d i s pa r a t e s t a t e o f t h e fe d e r a l h i s t o r y s c e n e i n Wa s h i n gt o n , b u i l d i n ga n
o r ga n i za t i o n wo u l d b e a d i ffi c u l t t a s k. T h e r e wa s a r e a l qu e s t i o n wh e t h e r we
c o u l d l u r e t h e h i s t o r i a n s fr o m t h e i r i s o l a t e d n i c h e s i n fe d e r a l a ge n c i e s t o
jo i n , mu c h l e s s pa r t i c i pa t e i n , s u c h a n o r ga n i za t i o n . Eve n t h e fa c t t h a t t h e
Re s o u r c e Gr o u p me t o n go ve r n me n t t i me h a d a l r e a d y r a i s e d s o me e y e -
b r o ws . H o w pe r i l o u s wo u l d i t b e t o h a ve a l a r ge gr o u p o f fe d e r a l h i s t o r i a n s
me e t d u r i n gwo r ki n gh o u r s ?
Re l y i n go n t h e b u r e a u c r a t i c a d a ge t h a t y o u d o n 't a s k qu e s t i o n s i f y o u a r e
a fr a i d o f t h e a n s we r s , t h e Re s o u r c e Gr o u p d e c i d e d t o pr e s s a h e a d o n a n
i n fo r ma l b a s i s . We wa n t e d fi r s t t o b r i n gfe d e r a l h i s t o r i a n s t o ge t h e r s o t h a t
t h e y c o u l d me e t e a c h o t h e r a n d ga i n s o me s e n s e o f t h e i r mu t u a l i n t e r e s t s .
T o a c c o mpl i s h t h i s , we o r ga n i ze d a o n e - d a y pr o gr a m a t t h e De pa r t me n t o f
En e r gy a u d i t o r i u m i n 1 9 7 9 . We b r o u gh t i n Eu ge n e Ge n o ve s e , a d i s t i n -
gu i s h e d h i s t o r i a n t h e n ve r y mu c h i n t h e pu b l i c e y e , t o a d d r e s s a pl e n a r y
s e s s i o n , fo l l o we d b y s e ve r a l s i mu l t a n e o u s s e s s i o n s o n ma t t e r s o f c o n c e r n t o
fe d e r a l h i s t o r i a n s . T h e me e t i n gpr o ve d s o s u c c e s s fu l t h a t we r e pe a t e d i t t h e
fo l l o wi n g y e a r .
In pu b l i s h i n g t h e d i r e c t o r y a n d s t a gi n gt h e a n n u a l me e t i n gs o f fe d e r a l
h i s t o r i a n s , t h e Re s o u r c e Gr o u p l a i d t h e gr o u n d wo r k fo r wh a t wa s t o b e c o me
t h e S o c i e t y fo r H i s t o r y i n t h e F e d e r a l Go ve r n me n t . Dr a wi n go n h i s t o r i a n s
i n t h e fe d e r a l a ge n c i e s fo r a s s i s t a n c e , t h e Re s o u r c e Gr o u p d r a ft e d b y - l a ws
fo r t h e n e w o r ga n i za t i o n a n d pr e s e n t e d t h e m a t t h e a n n u a l c o n fe r e n c e i n
A pr i l 1 9 8 0. A ft e r s o me l e n gt h y d i s c u s s i o n a n d a n u mb e r o f a me n d me n t s ,
t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n wa s a d o pt e d a n d t h e s o c i e t y wa s i n c o r po r a t e d i n t h e
Di s t r i c t o f Co l u mb i a a fe w we e ks l a t e r . Ja c k H o l l wa s e l e c t e d t h e fi r s t
pr e s i d e n t .
Du r i n gt h e s a me mo n t h s t h a t t h e fe d e r a l h i s t o r i a n s we r e o r ga n i zi n g,
ma n y o f t h e s a me pe o pl e we r e i n vo l ve d i n d i s c u s s i o n s t h a t l e d t o t h e
c r e a t i o n o f t h e Na t i o n a l Co u n c i l o n P u b l i c H i s t o r y . I r e c a l l go i n gd i r e c t l y
fr o m a n o r ga n i zi n g me e t i n gfo r t h e fe d e r a l h i s t o r i a n s t o a s i mi l a r o n e h e l d a t
t h e Na t i o n a l A r c h i ve s t o c o n s i d e r t h e s t r u c t u r e o f t h e Na t i o n a l Co u n c i l .
S o o n a ft e r t h e s o c i e t y wa s o r ga n i ze d , a n u mb e r o f fe d e r a l h i s t o r i a n s fr o m
Wa s h i n gt o n me t wi t h a c a d e mi c h i s t o r i a n s i n P i t t s b u r gh t o o r ga n i ze t h e
Na t i o n a l Co u n c i l . I b e l i e ve i t wa s a t t h i s me e t i n gt h a t a l l o f u s we r e a s ke d t o
42 * T H E P UBLICH IS T ORIA N
s e r ve o n t h e b o a r d o f d i r e c t o r s o f t h e Co u n c i l , t h e qu a l i fi c a t i o n fo r wh i c h
wa s t h e wi l l i n gn e s s t o c o n t r i b u t e $1 00 a y e a r t o s u ppo r t t h e n e w o r ga n i za -
t i o n . T h i s we d i d fo r s e ve r a l y e a r s .
T h e jo b c r i s i s fo r h i s t o r i a n s i n t h e Un i t e d S t a t e s t o o me d l a r ge i n t h e mi d -
1 9 7 0s . T h e i n i t i a l s h o c k o f t h a t c r i s i s , h o we ve r , ge n e r a t e d n e w i d e a s a n d
a ppr o a c h e s wh i c h s e r ve d t o s t r e n gt h e n a n d r e vi t a l i ze t h e pr o fe s s i o n i n t h e
l a s t d e c a d e s o f t h e c e n t u r y . Ou t o f t h e Na t i o n a l Co o r d i n a t i n g Co mmi t t e e
a n d t h e F e d e r a l Re s o u r c e Gr o u p c a me a n e w pr o fe s s i o n a l o r ga n i za t i o n t h a t
t a ppe d fo r t h e fi r s t t i me t h e t a l e n t s o f fe d e r a l h i s t o r i a n s a n d ma d e t h e
fe d e r a l d e pa r t me n t s a n d a ge n c i e s ge n e r a l l y a wa r e o f t h e s ki l l s a n d i n s i gh t s
t h a t h i s t o r i a n s c o u l d b r i n gt o po l i c y pl a n n i n ga n d a d mi n i s t r a t i o n . A t t h e
s a me t i me , t h e c r i s i s o ft h e 1 9 7 0s r e vo l u t i o n i ze d t h e a c a d e mi c c o n c e pt i o n o f
t h e h i s t o r i a n 's r o l e i n s o c i e t y i n t h e c r e a t i o n o f t h e pu b l i c h i s t o r y mo ve me n t .
On c e a ga i n , c h a l l e n ge o pe n e d t h e wa y t o o ppo r t u n i t y , a n d o ppo r t u n i t y t o
n e w a n d b e t t e r wa y s o f a ppl y i n g pr o fe s s i o n a l s ki l l s a n d c r e a t i vi t y .