Oral history interview with Caryl Marsh

Object Details

Scope and Contents note: Caryl Marsh was a psychologist for the Washington DC Recreation Department. She was consulted in the development of the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now Anacostia Community Museum), and she describes writing the initial plan for the museum, working with various community groups, developing criteria for location selection, and conducting regular meetings with the museum's Advisory Committee. She worked alongside community and museum leaders like S. Dillon Ripley, Stanley Anderson, and Charles Blitzer, and describes how John Kinard came to be selected as the first director. She recalls the experimental nature of the museum, its focus on outreach, and how its innovation influenced the national museum community. She also describes the positive impact the museum had on the Anacostia community, how it has changed over time, and its relationship with the Smithsonian Institution. The interview was recorded on July 25, 1991. There is background noise throughout the recording, but the interview can be heard clearly. Exhibitions mentioned: The Rat: Man's Invited Affliction, The Frederick Douglass years: a cultural history.

Collection Citation: ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution