Program Guide 2019-2020 2019 Program Host Guide - Indiana Humanities
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
2019 Program Host Guide Stipend Recipient Program Guide 2019-2020
Congratulations!
Your community has been chosen as the recipient of a stipend to develop programming or an exhibition around the themes
explored in the Smithsonian’s Crossroads: Change in Rural America exhibit. This program guide includes a variety of resources
to help you plan and implement a memorable exhibition or program series designed to celebrate and reflect upon life in rural
Indiana.
During September 2019 - June 2020, the following organizations will present exhibits and programs.
• Greentown Historical Society (Greentown, IN)
• Harrison County Discovery Center (Corydon, IN)
• Jasper Community Arts (Jasper, IN)
• Lawrenceburg Main Street (Lawrenceburg, IN)
• Marshall County Historical Society (Plymouth, IN)
• New Carlisle – Olive Township Public Library (New Carlisle, IN)
• Ripley County Tourism Bureau (Versailles, IN)
• Trine University (Angola, IN)
• Wabash County Historical Museum (Wabash, IN)
Indiana Humanities staff members are invested in making your efforts a meaningful, transformative experience for your
organization and your community. As questions arise during your planning, you can contact the following staff members with
your inquiries or concerns.
Megan Telligman Claire Mauschbaugh Leah Nahmias
Program Manager Events & Communications Associate Director of Programs & Community
317.616.9409 309.657.9457 Engagement
mtelligman@indianahumanities.org cmauschbaugh@indianahumanities 317.638.1500 x139
.org lnahmias@indianahumanities.org
Megan is available to answer
questions about all things MOMS. Claire is available to answer Leah oversees all programs at
Give her a call to talk through questions about communications Indiana Humanities, including
exhibition content and logistics, resources and exhibition travel MOMS. If you’re looking for great
program planning, requesting and logistics. Contact Claire if you have programs ideas or to get connected
receiving your funding, final questions about the exhibition crates with scholars or other public
reporting, training workshops and and travel details. humanities practitioners in your
more. community, Leah can help you
discover those relationships.
Our Goals
Crossroads: Change in Rural America presents an exciting, unique opportunity to reflect on rural change in America and the
future of our rural communities. Seen through the lens of five main themes - identity, land, community, persistence and
managing change – the exhibit looks at the history and culture of rural life. For Indiana Humanities, Crossroads fits into our
larger thematic initiative titled INseparable, a two-year discussion of urban and rural dynamics. It is our goal that Crossroads
offers the opportunity for communities such as yours to celebrate the rural way-of-life, but also reflect on the real difficulties
facing rural communities as Indiana changes in significant ways. We’re excited to partner with you to develop exhibits and
program series that look at the deep history of our rural community and spark meaningful and transformative conversations
about how we encounter and manage change.
Partner Information
About Indiana Humanities About Indiana Historical Society’s Local History Services
Indiana Humanities is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to The Local History Services department is staffed by people
promoting the public humanities. We’re a grant-maker, a who have worked in small organizations and understand
neutral convener, a facilitator, a program partner and much the challenges and opportunities local historical
more. In short, Indiana Humanities connects people, opens organizations face. They assist local historical societies,
minds and enriches lives by creating and facilitating museums, libraries, archives, genealogy groups and
programs that encourage Hoosiers to think, read and talk. preservation groups to promote Indiana’s history statewide.
About the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs About Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service
(OCRA) (SITES)
OCRA works with local, state and national partners to As the world's largest traveling exhibition service, SITES
provide resources and technical assistance to aid offers exhibitions to museums, libraries, science centers,
communities in shaping and achieving their vision for historical societies, community centers, botanical gardens,
community and economic development. OCRA awards schools, and other institutions across the nation.
grants to fund public gathering places, fix water/sewer
infrastructures, restore historic structures, build community About Museum on Main Street (MOMS)
facilities and revitalize commercial districts. These funds Museum on Main Street is a Smithsonian outreach program
help communities improve their quality of life and ensure that engages small town audiences and brings revitalized
the health and safety of their citizens. attention to underserved rural communities. We partner
with state humanities councils to bring traveling
exhibitions, educational resources and programming to
small towns across America through their own local
museums, historical societies and other cultural venues.
3
3
How It Works
From 2019-2020, Indiana Humanities is partnering with dozens of organizations across the state to create meaningful and
transformative programs investigating urban, rural and suburban dynamics. One main feature of this programming is the
Crossroads: Change in Rural America exhibition tour from September 2019 – June 2020.
By early March of 2019, you will be asked to decide whether your organization wishes to develop either an exhibit or a program
series. If you develop an exhibit, your exhibition should tell the story of rural change in your community through the lens of the
five organizing themes of Crossroads- identity, land, community, persistence and managing change. (See Appendix A) If you
choose to develop a program series, we ask that you create at least five public programs, one on each of the major themes.
Additionally, at least one of the programs should focus on more recent changes – post-1945. These exhibits and programs
should be free and open to the general public (the exception being school audiences) and should use the humanities to provoke
thought and discussion about the complex history of rural communities.
RESOURCES PROVIDED BY INDIANA HUMANITIES:
• $1500 in funding
• Training webinar
• Guidance with program development and exhibit brainstorming
• Program guide with program ideas, exhibit tips, reading lists and more
• Logos, templates and other digital assets
• Indiana Humanities INseparable Speakers Bureau
• Promotional support – template press releases, announcements via our enewsletter and social media
4
4
Overview of
Designate a project director.
Requirements
Attend the required informational webinar.
Provide Indiana Humanities with an event calendar at least two months before programs or exhibit begins to receive the
first 80% ($1200) of the funding.
Host either an exhibit or a minimum of five robust public humanities programs addressing the five Crossroads
exhibition themes - identity, land, community, persistence and managing change. You are required to host either an
exhibition or program series, though you are welcome to do both if you’d like.
o If you choose to develop an exhibition, your exhibition will tell the local story of rural change in your community
using five themes of the Crossroads exhibit.
o If you choose to develop a program series, you will develop a minimum of five programs, one on how each of the
five themes reflects rural change in your community. Events should be free and open to the general public
(school-based events can be open to students only). At least one of these programs must focus on changes
that have occurred in your community after 1945.
Host the exhibit or program series within the Crossroads tour period – September 7, 2019 through June 20, 2020.
Submit a final report to receive remaining 20% ($300) of funding.
55
Getting Started
Sign and return the agreement letter to Indiana Humanities.
Provide financial information to Indiana Humanities, including W-9 and DUNS number.
Register in the SAM (System of Award Management) database. This registration is necessary to receive funding from
federal sources like the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Attend the required webinar.
Gather your team members and set regular meetings. Work together to create a backwards plan.
Use the template press release to notify your community of the exciting opportunity coming to your town.
Read the Indiana Humanities Program Guide thoroughly.
Planning Your Program Series
In addition to the program ideas provided in this guide, see
Appendix B for a list of programs developed by the Smithsonian in
conjunction with the Crossroads exhibit. If you choose to plan a REQUIRED PROGRAMS
program series, here are some things to keep in mind:
Post-1945 Program
Find partners! Who in your community might already have While many transformative changes happened in rural
interesting perspectives on rural change? Expanding your communities before 1945 (transportation advances,
partnership on a program also expands your audience for that changes in farming practices and other industries), at
program. Who has a stake in the topic you want to address? Invite least one of your programs must focus on more recent
them to the table early. changes in your community. You may invite you audience
to consider recent industrial changes, school
Be creative! There are many ways to think about rural change. consolidation, changes in political systems, immigration
While traditional lectures provide important information to and demographic change or other shifts currently
audiences, different formats attract different types of people. Can happening in your community.
you design a hands-on activity for younger audiences? What
about something active for teens?
Reach out! If you’re struggling to find ways to balance audience, find partners, or discuss more recent changes in your
community, talk to us! Indiana Humanities staff are always available to brainstorm and advise on your program series. We want
to help make your exhibit and programs a meaningful experience for your organization and entire community.
6
6
How to Book a Speaker
The INseparable Speakers Bureau contains a selection of talks by experts in the humanities and social sciences on various
themes related to urban, rural and suburban dynamics. These scholars are located throughout the Hoosier state and are excited
to travel to your community to share their fascinating insights!
Most of the talks are approximately one hour, with a 45-minute presentation and 15 minutes for Q&A. Some speakers may use
A/V; others may bring props, lead workshops or even give performances. Here’s how to book a speaker:
1. Read through the descriptions of the available talks. The list of talks can be found at
https://indianahumanities.org/urbanrural.
2. Each talk description is accompanied by the speaker’s contact information. Send an email or call the speaker to
introduce yourself and your organization and inquire about the speaker’s availability. Have a list of potential days and
times that are preferable, or, if your schedule is flexible, let him or her know.
3. You will pay the speaker’s honorarium of $400. Your organization should also offer to pay associated travel costs. We
recommend reimbursing mileage at the federal rate. If the speaker is coming from a distance of more than 2.5 hours,
you should also consider offering him or her a hotel room for the evening.
4. We recommend using the template agreement letter (Appendix C) to formalize your engagement with the speaker. Use
the letter to put all the details in writing, then have the speaker sign and return a copy to you.
5. Prior to the event, check with the speaker to see if any special set up is required (A/V, speakers, room set-up, etc.)
77
Program Ideas
Lecture & Conversation from a Local Expert
While the speakers bureau provides expert talks from scholars throughout the state, we encourage you to look within your own
community for local experts on rural change. Collaborations with local experts may reveal interesting perspectives on the five
major exhibit themes: identity, land, community, persistence and managing change.
History Harvest
Consider holding a history harvest. Call on your community to donate or present on objects that they believe represent change in
your county or town. These objects could be temporarily loaned for a display, become part of your exhibit, or be added to
permanent collection of your local historical organization. This program shows community members that history is always being
collected and that their personal histories are an important to the broader community.
Oral History Collection & Performance
Objects and photographs are just one way to look at the history of a community. Consider collecting oral histories from your
community. Your organization could host a booth at a local festival or open hours at the historical society and solicit oral
histories from local residents. Quotes from these recorded histories could be shared in the exhibit or transformed into a program
in which portions of the history are read aloud as a performance. When you collect the oral histories, be sure you are clear about
how the histories will be shared with the community and obtain written permission from the speaker.
Book or Film Discussion
Appendix D contains lists of books and films that can continue the conversation on rural change. Hosting a book discussion or a
film screening and conversation is another way to engage new audiences in the exhibit themes. Indiana Humanities has free
lending library called Novel Conversations that provides book sets free of charge for book clubs. Visit
www.indianahumanities.org/novelconversations for more information and a full list of books available to borrow. Additionally,
Appendix E contains facilitation tips for holding a book or film discussion.
Walking Tour
A guided walking tour or architectural scavenger hunt can help attendees see their community anew by emphasizing unique
architectural features or interesting histories of buildings people pass by every day. Younger audiences appreciate the active
component of an outdoor tour, while long-time residents appreciate the walk down memory lane.
Community Conversation
Hold a conversation about an important change your community is facing right now. Who might you invite to the table to have a
good conversation? How might you partner with other stakeholders to make sure the conversation reaches the right people in the
community?
Explore Agricultural Change
We highly recommend you reach out to groups such as Future Farmers of America or 4-H to partner on programs. These two
particular groups have young leaders and access to agricultural teachers and practitioners that could help talk about the future
of farming in Indiana communities. Allow their experts to lead a program or develop a component of the local exhibit about the
impact of agricultural practices on your community.
8
8Exhibit Development Tips
Indiana Humanities has a graphic designer on staff who has developed a series of templates available for you to use to organize
your exhibit content in a visually appealing way. (See Appendix F) These templates are available for download on Indiana
Humanities’ Crossroads resource page. You can use the templates give your exhibit a professional look and send the digital files
to a local printer for production.
As you develop your exhibit content, here are a few tips to help you tell your community’s story:
Start general; get specific. As you begin thinking about rural change, it might help you to create a timeline of your community.
What are the big inflection points that changed your community in significant ways? Timelines are useful ways to overview the
history of a community. However, when you go to write your exhibit content, think specific. Can you tell the story of a significant
event through the story of a single individual? Telling a larger story through the experience of a person who lived or is living in
the community makes larger, historic changes relatable.
Use objects and photographs. Text is useful for telling a story, but objects and photographs contain stories as well. Different
methods of presenting information appeal to different audiences. Younger visitors might get more from a photograph or
discussion of an object than a big chunk of text posted on the wall. Additionally, objects have an aura. Imagining how previous
generations used an object provides a deeper understanding of your community’s past and evokes memories for longtime
residents.
Indicate which information is most important. As visitors glance around your exhibit space, you want them to have a sense of
the story being told. Use large fonts to indicate major themes or ideas. Subheadings or larger exhibit text should be slightly more
detailed, providing the main idea of that section of the exhibit. The smallest text you provide – paragraph, artifact label, or
caption text – should be the most detailed. Some visitors don’t read every word; some do. If visitors have five minutes to spend
or five hours, you should provide different layers of information so that all visitors can take something away from the exhibit.
Be inclusive. The stories included in your exhibit should be representative of your entire community and its history. Do the
stories featured in your local exhibit represent the demographics present in your community today? Women, immigrants, African
Americans, religious minorities and other underrepresented groups have histories that were not seen as significant to the
dominant historical narrative and were thus not recorded or preserved in the same way. In some cases, this absence hides a
difficult past that community members have tried to ignore. We encourage you to be brave in crafting your community story. The
story of change in your community might not always be easy to tell, but uncovering and discussing this history is one way to
develop connections and strengthen community ties.
Pay attention to detail. We strongly recommend fact-checking and copy-editing your exhibit content. As you develop a budget,
set aside at least $200 for a local teacher, writer, or professor to take the time to proofread your text. If you need help finding a
fact-checker, let us know and we can help you find someone. Online copy-editing services usually have a per-page fee that is
reasonable for small organizations.
9
9How to Request Funds
Indiana Humanities will provide $1500 in funding to support your exhibit and program development. This money is provided to
you in two installments.
First Installment – 80% ($1200): When you are ready to start purchasing materials for your exhibition or program
series, submit the Crossroads Stipend Recipient Event Notification form online. A link to the form is available on the
Resource Page. At this time, we’ll ask you to give days, times and descriptions of your programs to the best of your
ability or provide an outline of the story your local exhibition will tell. After we review this form, we will process the
paperwork for your payment, which will reach you by check within 2-3 weeks.
Second Installment – 20% ($400): Within three weeks of the close of Crossroads in your community, we will ask you to
submit a final report, photos, press clippings and a final budget form. Once you complete this final reporting, we will
release the final 20% of your funding, which will again reach you by check within 2-3 weeks.
Using Your Funds
The funding provided by Indiana Humanities is intended to
support the development of an exhibit, including printing NON-APPROVED USES
costs, materials to mount your exhibit, copy-editing and other
associated exhibition costs. Additionally, you may use your Indiana Humanities receives funding from the National
funds to support program costs, including speaker honoraria, Endowment for the Humanities. The funds we provide cannot
refreshments and other supplies. Funds can be used for be used for the following:
marketing costs, including social media or print advertising. • Political action or advocacy
• Religious practices or training
While you cannot use Indiana Humanities funds for any of the • Creation of performance of art
non-approved uses listed to the right, you are welcome to • Social services
solicit donations from other organizations to provide these • Scholarships or prizes
items or support. For example, while you cannot use Indiana
• Construction or renovation
Humanities funds to purchase alcohol for the opening
• Property or major equipment purchases (we may
reception, you could solicit a donation or use your own funds
consider funding equipment if it’s a portion of the
to purchase alcohol.
grant request that will support the overall goal of
public humanities programming)
As you develop your exhibit and program series, keep track of
• Publication of books
your expenses. While we do not require you to submit receipts,
you will need to provide a final budget detailing how you spent • Operating expenses
the funds. See Appendix E for a sample budget. A budget • Alcoholic beverages
template is available at • Entertainment (unless it’s a key educational
www.indianahumanities.org/crstipendresources. component of the program)
10
10Spreading the Word
Press Releases Indiana Humanities provides press release templates to help you spread the word. If you’re developing an
exhibit, in addition to sending a press release to local media before the exhibit opening, also consider sending one out half way
through the exhibit run and a week before the closing of the exhibit.
Social Media Social media is an increasingly popular and successful way of spreading the word about programs. In particular,
Facebook advertising is a cheap, targeted way to reach a broad audience. Twitter and Instagram offer ways to engage younger
audiences. You can tag @inhumanities to connect with us and #ruralcrossroads to join the national conversation.
Be creative! Think of some non-traditional ways to reach out to new audiences. Printing blurbs in church bulletins and on diner
menus or giving brief presentations at town hall meetings or at your local Kiwanis & Rotary Clubs are great ways to get exposure
for the exhibit and program series. Have a presence at summer events like the county fair with a flyer and pop-up banner. Go on
a local radio show to chat about your community’s interesting history. Start promoting early and ramp up your marketing
activities as the kick-off date approaches. Make early contact with teachers to organize field trips and programs and give them
plenty of time to plan how your content might fit in their classrooms.
COMMUNICATIONS REQUIREMENTS
Being a good partner means giving credit where credit is due. On all printed and exhibit materials you should credit Indiana
Humanities, Museum on Main Street and the Smithsonian. Additionally, if you raise additional funds or pursue sponsorships
from organizations local to you, you should ask these supporters how they want to be credited and if they have a logo or other
branding guidelines.
To credit Indiana Humanities, please use the following language:
“This program is made possible through a grant from Indiana Humanities in cooperation with the National Endowment for
the Humanities.”
Logos are available for download at: www.indianahumanities.org/crstipendresource
11
11Evaluating Your Programs
Crossroads presents a unique opportunity for you to expand and learn about your audience. Some final reporting is due to
Indiana Humanities when your programs wrap up. However, we encourage you to design your own evaluation strategies to
answer questions you want to know about your audience. Here are the pieces of information you should collect during your time
hosting Crossroads:
• Expenses to be reported in final budget form
• In-kind and outright matches provided by partner organizations (additional money raised or support provided)
• Press clippings
• Photos
• Total attendance for exhibit
• Attendance for each of your programs
• Changes in visitor demographics (Did you see more people during this time? Were they younger? Older? Local or from
out of town?)
• Number of school groups and approximate ages
• Number of volunteers and hours worked
Make a plan for collecting the information necessary for filling out the final report. For example, you might design a sign-in
sheet for volunteers with a space for them to collect attendance totals during their shift.
We’re excited to work with you to bring Crossroads to your community. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Indiana Humanities
with questions and concerns, or if you just need someone to brainstorm with you. See you at the crossroads!
12Appendices
Appendix A – Crossroads Content Outline
Appendix B – Program Idea List
Appendix C – Template Speaker Agreement Letter
Appendix D – Book/Film List
Appendix E – Facilitation Tips
Appendix F - Graphic Design Template Example
Appendix G – Sample Budget
Appendix H – Press Release Template
13Crossroads
Exhibition Outline
Section 1: Introduction
Americans come together at the crossroads. They invest in places and build their futures where
their paths cross. Small towns became centers of commerce, trade, local politics, and culture.
For some, the crossroads affirmed a new life in a new place. For others, the crossroads meant
hard work and hard times.
Ideas intersect at these crossroads as well. Americans debate the meaning of independence
and equality. They do not always agree, nor do they all benefit or profit from business or the
decisions made. They face challenges with conviction. Some communities have declined, but
most survive.
What is the future of rural America? How does “rural” effect American identify? What will the
next one hundred years bring? Explore how small towns have changed over the past century
and consider how we can reshape and re-envision our communities for the futures. Our rural
communities are at a crossroads. Which direction will we choose?
Change in Rural America: Sliding or flip-up panels explore different aspects of rural life
that experienced great change over the past century. Panels include:
o Education
o Access to services
o Commerce
o Agriculture
o Infrastructure
o Demographic change
Section 2: Identity
Rural America is at the heart of our national identity. Those who came to America saw
boundless plains ready for cultivation. Indigenous people saw their landscapes differently.
People moved into America from all directions, motivated by the opportunity to acquire
seemingly limitless land with untapped resources. Settlers platted communities. Independent
farmers grew crops and raised animals. Entrepreneurs built businesses at the crossroads.
These rural communities fueled the nation’s growth.
Philosophers, politicians, and historians linked the so-called “frontier” experience to formation of
a distinct American identity—one which supports economic opportunity, personal liberty, and
equality. Popular culture reinforced this nostalgic view of rural America. Successful family farms
and bustling Main Streets became a foundation of the “American dream.”
But, success was not guaranteed, and opportunities have not been available to everyone. Hard
work, persistence, and sacrifice have become part of the rural identity as well, along with pride
in a job well done.
1Rural America in the Popular Imagination: What are the popular perceptions of rural
America? Family farms, country roads, and small-town Main Streets captivate the
popular imagination. Artists, musicians, writers and others celebrate the richness and
beauty of the American countryside and the people who live there. They romanticize
hardy pioneers, independent family farmers, and crossroads settlements with their
country schools and rural churches that became community centers. They praise
Americans for working hard to build a better life for their families. They claim that the
ideals of American democracy took root in country crossroads. Some offer a less
positive perspective on rural America—American Indians losing their land, millions of
Africans and their descendants enslaved, migrant laborers exploited by producers,
workers laboring in extractive industries. Stereotypes of rural America abound, including
the country bumpkin, the righteous prohibitionist, and the xenophobic member of the Ku
Klux Klan.
What is Rural? “Rural” means different things to different people. The United States
Census Bureau has a very clear definition based on population statistics, defining rural
as fewer than 2,500 people. Those who study rural America have called for a new
definition because people use the term “country” more broadly. Most people say they
live “in the country” when they live in a rural region, and others call county seats and
suburbs “the country.” Is rural a state of mind? Is it an expanse of land? Is it a place to
be? Is it merely a statistic? How do you define rural? Can you define rural?
o The Rural America Bookshelf Interactive: Spines of classic books and DVD
cases for famous films on rural America pull out to reveal more information about
the book’s impact on popular interpretations of rural areas
o Video program: “What is Rural: What Does Rural Mean to You?”: Rural
Americans talk about their definitions of “rural” and what those definitions mean
to them.
o “Wheel of Rural” Interactive: Do you live in rural America? How do you know? A
wheel-based interactive allows visitors to examine different definitions of rural
and see where they fall into the mix.
Living at the Rural Crossroads: Living and working in rural America has never been
easy. It takes a commitment of time, sweat, and economic risk to live in the country.
Finding well-paying jobs is challenging. Rural families often work more than one job to
make ends meet. Many work shifts at manufacturing plants, mines, poultry processing
plants, and cake mix factories. Others work seasonally at tourist attractions or on farms
and orchards. Some face additional obstacles due to their race or ethnicity. Many rural
people choose to move to urban and suburban areas for jobs, a more vibrant social and
cultural life, and an escape from racism and other oppression. Those who leave may still
identify strongly with and romanticize rural America, even though the reality of life is
much more complicated.
o Timeline: Images trace the major changes that had an impact on rural America
from the late 19th century up to the present
Section 3: Land
Rural Americans build their homes, farms, businesses, communities, and sense of worth on
land. Land is a finite resource. It is expensive and requires significant investment. Those who
own land control resources under, on, and above it. Americans link the reality of ownership with
the ideal of independence. They yearn for their own piece of land, which confirms their personal
autonomy and symbolizes their political influence and contribution to the local economy. Many
appreciate the open landscape and unobstructed views. Many develop a strong sense of place,
an emotional, almost spiritual, connection between physical locations and their personal identity.
2Sustaining the finite resource creates tension between private interest and public need. What
does land mean to you? To your family? To your community? What does connection to land
mean to us? How do communities mediate between private interest and public need?
Private Land—An “American” Idea (and Ideal): Americans associate owning land with
economic independence, personal autonomy, and political authority. Many people in
crossroads communities do not own land. What relationships exist between landowners,
the landless, and rural communities? Most Americans connect with rural places through
public lands. They drive through village greens, hike in forest preserves, camp in state
and national parks, and hunt and fish in recreation areas. These places help sustain
emotional connections to the countryside, support rural and heritage tourism and local
economic development, and protect the finite resource as a public asset. How do
attitudes towards land differ among Americans? Is land ownership still part of the
American dream?
Conflict Over Land: Rural people do not agree about how to live in the same place.
Different approaches to managing land creates political and social issues. European
private land ownership shaped American realities from the beginning. This threatened
indigenous populations who depended on the land for their livelihood. The sense of
ownership affects rural communities in various ways. Some residents use their economic
status to advocate for the public good while others devise ways to limit access or even
exclude neighbors from equality and justice. Some claim public lands for their exclusive
use. They justify it as their right and rationalize it as their prerogative because they do
not consider public access to land as an entitlement.
o Objects: Three cases feature documents related to land ownership like a deed of
sale and an Indian removal notice and land survey and fencing tools
Sense of Place: Many Americans express strong connections to the rural landscape.
They intertwine their personal memories with hills and dales that they roamed as
children and with landmarks that have special meaning. Many wax nostalgic about their
hometown. They become emotional when they smell fresh-cut hay, when they fish on a
river shore, hear the sounds of familiar birds or the roar of rivers in mountain canyons,
smell the saltwater on the coast, and feel the blustery wind blowing across the desert.
Beautiful places draw people to the countryside to explore the natural landscape. Some
Americans fight to preserve natural lands across America to ensure that every American
has the opportunity to experience them. Not everyone feels this attachment to the
country. Some recall memories of isolation, hard work, and exclusion.
o “What Does Rural Sound Like?” Audio Interactive: Visitors can sample sounds
from rural environments like audio of tractors, crickets and peepers, running
water, church bells, a local volunteer fire alarm, mining explosion horn, slamming
of a screen door and a whistle for reporting to work or for shift changes.
o Flipbook: Stories of Personal Connections to Land
Section 4: Community
Rural life revolves around crossroads communities--towns, villages, and rural hamlets. These
communities are powerful, dynamic places where people connect--exchange ideas, work
towards common goals, rely on neighbors, and build a future. Industries process agricultural
goods. Stores and businesses manage trade. Schools, churches, and local organizations build
cultural cohesion. Rural communities experienced economic growth in the early years of the
1900s, but they have faced dramatic change since then. Individuals, private associations,
reform organizations, and state and national governments have intervened to help modernize
3and improve rural America. Local residents have played a key role in creating communities that
achieve their common goals and support their economic and lifestyle choices.
Main Street: One of the most popular symbols of our crossroads communities is Main
Street. Local residents created towns that reflected their needs and values. The growth
in railroads and the arrival of the automobile by the early twentieth century led to a
decline in smaller rural villages and hamlets and the growth in the railroad towns and
county seats. Town and country people filled bustling streetscapes lined with stylish
commercial buildings selling popular new goods. New theaters and opera houses
showcased cultural entertainments. City parks provided stages for local band concerts.
Public libraries offered a range of educational opportunities. Churches service the
community’s spiritual needs.
o Build Your Own Town Interactive: Visitors will consider what town elements are
needed to sustain a Main Street. Using blocks, visitors can build their own Main
Street.
o Objects: Case will include items from community organizations. Possible items
are: memorabilia from fairs (ribbons or posters); items from theaters, dance halls,
opera houses and music events (posters or playbills); decals; public notices;
Chinese restaurant menus; funeral home fans; Mexican restaurant menus;
church cookbooks (spiral-bound); church hymnal; rodeo flyer
Sustaining Community: Rural communities have faced significant change over the past
century. Town and farm people have worked together with local, state, and national
governments to ensure their future. Local organizations and individuals often initiate
change in rural communities. To be effective, they need support from community
entrepreneurs and elected county officials, and often, the financial support of the state
and federal governments. This can create tension between conservatives favoring small
government and liberals favoring government action.
o Country Life Movement: In 1908, President Teddy Roosevelt organized the
Commission on Country Life with the charge to make rural America more
attractive. Fearful that too many youth were leaving the country for the city,
leaders like Liberty Hyde Bailey sought to “develop in the country community the
great ideals of country life as well as of personal character.” Rural folk did not
always agree with Country Life Movement goals. They wanted better roads,
public schools, and mail delivery. What challenges did people want to solve in
the early 1900s in your community? How did they approach reform?
o The New Deal: Sometimes national and state governments played a significant
role in managing change. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, President
Franklin Delano Roosevelt proposed a series of programs to help Americans
survive this difficult crisis. Many New Deal programs targeted struggling farmers
and rural communities. Government public works programs built roads, schools,
parks, libraries, and other community resources that survive today. Some
agencies assisted with flood control, reforestation, and land conservation. Others
sought to provide relief for farmers through loans or subsidies, often with mixed
results. Public arts programs employed artists to bring their talents into the
country. Many New Deal murals decorating the interiors of public buildings still
attest to this legacy. What impact did the New Deal have on your area?
An Electric Revolution: The Rural Electrification Administration (REA) of
1935 brought electric power to the countryside. While many towns had
electricity by this time, most people on the farm had to purchase
expensive technology for this purpose. Small town leaders participated in
this cooperative investment, which allowed farm families to improve their
4standards of living to match those in small towns nearby. These electrical
cooperatives still provide power to many rural communities.
Audio Component: Stories gathered from oral histories of farm families
and extension agents about rural electrification and other changes and
reforms, along with music and news programs from the 1930s. The
component may be designed like a radio.
Objects: Case will include extension handbooks and leaflets; premium
book from a fair; Rural Electrification Administration booklets
Flipbook on different New Deal projects
Accelerating Change: World War II drew rural residents off the farms and away from the
crossroads to wartime occupations. Few returned to the country permanently after the
war. Many rural Americans settled in growing suburbs and cities. Yet, the number of
people in rural America remained remarkably stable, and the migrants returned home for
visits regularly. The rural population changed demographically, becoming more skewed
towards an older population. Youth moved to new jobs in metropolitan areas, following
opportunities in industry and business. Retirees returned to the country. Farmers
replaced laborers with bigger machinery, synthetic herbicides and pesticides, and
automated feeding and watering systems and milking systems for dairies. Many people
claimed that rural America was in crisis. The counter-cultural changes sweeping the
country also rippled through the nation’s small towns.
o Changes in Rural Business and Infrastructure: Work in rural America evolved
during the 1950s. Agricultural jobs changed or disappeared as production shifted
from family labor to mechanization. Locally-owned businesses on Main Street
faced stiff competition from strip malls, box stores, and e-commerce. Rural
industry relied on cheaper, non-union laborers to remain competitive or even
moved overseas to reduce labor costs even more. Others adapted or closed.
Investments in transportation systems affected rural America in contradictory
ways. The new interstate system crisscrossed the nation. Trucks hauled raw
materials to industries committed to making consumable goods in America. The
new interstate highways bypassed small towns, moving traffic away from the
Main Streets.
o Changes in Rural Crossroads: America’s crossroads communities anchored rural
culture. Closing schools in small rural communities was one of the first signs of
irreversible decline. Small communities lost their schools and community centers
as school districts consolidated students into elementary, middle, and secondary
schools. Aging populations struggled to sustain social and cultural organizations
such as civic groups, Chambers of Commerce, Masonic lodges, and
denominational churches. Still, rural Americans worked within their communities
to address these challenges, drawing upon traditional sources of support. Church
groups, community organizations, business leaders, and local industry helped
sustain and often fund assistance to individuals and to community life.
o Addressing Inequality and Poverty: In the 1950s and 1960s, rural Americans
faced challenges that existed across America -- poverty, racism, cultural
isolation, ethnic conflict, addiction, gender inequality, and culture clash. Much of
the Civil Rights movement played out in rural America. Sit-ins occurred across
the rural South. American Indians organized on reservations. Rural women took
a stand for equal rights. National news media covered conflicts that erupted over
rural issues such as school integration, voter mobilization, and equal
employment. Equal rights movements raised many issues but did not solve the
problems of who should fund rural relief, recovery, and reform. Legislation
protected minorities on paper. Some people perceived the expansion of rights for
5some as an infringement on their own freedoms. Resistance took many forms,
often revolving around the right to bear arms and religious liberty. How has your
community faced issues of poverty and injustice?
o Objects: Case will include items on rural activism, possibly including buttons from
Freedom Riders and other Civil Rights movement memorabilia; farmers’
movement memorabilia; and a program from Farm Aid
Section 5: Persistence
Rural Americans believe in their communities. They struggle to resolve issues rather than
abandoning the places where they live. Change affects farm-dependent and open-country
places differently than hardscrabble mountain tops or suburban and exurban counties at the
edge of metropolitan areas. No solution works everywhere. People at the crossroads develop
strategies that work for them. Rural people understand the unique challenges they face, and the
importance of trying to solve them. Partnering with special interest groups as well as local, state,
and national agencies and organizations can help their rural places persist.
Economic Survival: Rural Americans remain committed to the ideals and unique cultural
elements that tie them to their communities. Without an economic foundation, however,
rural crossroads cannot sustain their identity. Rural communities seek a diverse
economic base drawing on local entrepreneurs and outside investors. Community
leaders strive for a mix of production, processing and consumption. A region with
farmers, mills to process grain, companies that package foods, and stores to serve rural
needs, have more opportunity to retain residents. Good schools and medical services,
such as hospitals, help attract investors. National and global economic forces challenge
local business owners, as well as competition from metropolitan areas. Big-box stores
and national chains replace small, family-owned businesses in rural communities. Many
crossroads survive with a Quik-Trip convenience store and a Dollar General. What
changes has your community faced in preserving its local economy?
Rethinking Farming: News reports often feature the retirement of a well-respected
farmer and the loss of farmland to suburban growth. The economic crisis of the 1970s
increased the sense of urgency in rural America to sustain family farms. Legislators at
the state and national level link farming to issues of national security, social welfare, and
rural economic development. Family farmers today take different approaches to sustain
their businesses. Some follow corporate agribusiness practices to manage their high-
cost integrated industry. Others embrace alternative approaches -- cultivating small
acreages using draft animals and organic methods, producing artisanal products, and
adopting community-supported agriculture strategies. Some satisfy their agricultural
passion through “hobby farms.” Many supplement their farm income with other off-farm
jobs.
Main Street Revitalization: Preserving Main Street starts with stabilizing the local
economy, but also involves recognizing and developing the community's distinct identity
and history. This process requires partnerships between residents, business owners,
local governments, and civic and cultural organizations. Others contribute to these
efforts, appreciating the value and importance of small town life. Not-for-profit
organizations, state and national economic development agencies, and the US
Department of Agriculture’s rural development sustainability initiative all provide
resources that can help locals revitalize small towns and Main Streets. The Main Street
program, launched by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1980, encourages
local partnerships to create vibrant downtowns. How have residents helped revitalize
6Main Street in your town? What role does government or non-governmental
organizations play?
o Touchable interactive element: Spin-up or revolving panels with craft items: wine
bottle, alpaca wool, baskets
The Attractions of a Country Life: Many Americans love the countryside. They relocate
from suburbia, exchanging the slower pace and quiet surroundings for hours of
commuting. Young people went “back to the land” to live their counterculture ideals.
Some seek a less materialistic lifestyle. They invest in small acreage and establish
gardens. The growing popularity of organic, locally-produced food links rural to urban
through farmers’ markets, locavore movements and farm-to-table restaurants. Retirees
invest in five-acre farmettes to live in comfort in a bucolic location. Those who come to
rural areas to enjoy parks and recreation facilities, rural retreats, and outdoor activities
such as hunting or hiking sometimes clash with local residents. All want to maintain their
bit of rural America.
o Ideals and Identity: Popular culture connects urban and suburban Americans to
their “country cousins.” Television shows, movies, country songs, novels, and
documentaries depict real rural issues such as poverty, discrimination, and
suicide and murder. They also romanticize, satirize, and trivialize rural issues and
lampoon urban values. “Country” sells. Western attire symbolizes a country
lifestyle. Toys educate children about farms and country living. Harvest festivals,
antique tractor shows, farm-cations, and living history farms all depict
perspectives on “country” life. Rural Americans often take a break from the
pressures of modern life by taking weekend drives in the country. Why is the idea
of “country” still so enticing in our popular culture today? What do you think about
how country is portrayed today?
“Why Do I Choose to Live Here” Video component: Interviews featuring
people talking about why they choose to continue living in rural
communities, and their opinions on values and the benefits of living there.
Objects: A case might include country-related lunchboxes, toys, DVDs,
CDs, books and sheet music.
Section 6: Managing Change
People have strong but often differing opinions about important issues relating to rural America
and its small-towns. In the twenty-first century, all Americans, including those in suburban and
urban areas, will play an important role in shaping the future of rural America. As in the past, it is
not just the people who live there but also “outsiders” who have a stake in its success. Solving
challenges requires communication between people with different philosophical, class, and
cultural identities. How can rural crossroads support a dialogue that sustains the place and
retains the people? How can solutions balance long-standing American values such as equality,
opportunity, civility, and human rights with personal liberty and laissez faire capitalism? How can
rural communities serve the needs of all residents?
Digital Interactive Device: A touchscreen computer will include video, audio, and
photographic resources related to case studies of rural communities and to the exhibition
sections. Most video and audio segments will feature interviews from across the country.
o Case Study Categories:
Identity: What does rural mean to you today? How does your community
reflect its rural heritage? What can small town residents do to be taken
seriously by the majority of Americans? What are the stakes if small
towns continue to lose leverage or remain misunderstood?
7Land: Most Americans living in rural places value and treasure the land.
What are the issues we are currently facing in our community related to
land use and conservation? How can we ensure that the natural
landscape we have now is available for future generations to enjoy?
Sustainable Agriculture: How might we support locally-sourced
agricultural operations?
Environmental Protection: How do we balance extractive
industries in locations where rural communities depend on mining
for economic livelihood and feel threatened by environmental
protection?
Community: What kind of community would you like to see in rural
America? How is community still important to us?
History and the built environment: Much of our distinctive cultural
history is expressed in the buildings that surround us every day--
on Main Street, on the farm, and in industrial areas. How can we
preserve these buildings to reinforce our identity to ourselves and
to others? How can we market that history through heritage
tourism?
Education: How do we ensure that rural Americans get access to
a good education in our community? How would we evaluate
educational opportunities in our community?
Civic Dialogue: How do we meet the needs of a diverse
community? How do we create opportunities for all residents to
have their voices heard?
Cultural Life: What cultural attributes are important for your
community? How can we achieve these? How do we create a
vibrant community that celebrates the arts and humanities? What
are the organizations we need to cultivate to create these
opportunities for rural America?
Persistence: How are communities sustaining themselves?
Rural Poverty, Personal and Community Well-being: How can
rural communities maintain a safety net for poor residents without
wealthy benefactors, social and cultural organizations, or
government support?
Economy and jobs: What jobs defined your community in the
past? What kinds of jobs are here now? What might you expect in
the future? How do we create opportunities for all residents to
experience economic opportunity? What will they be and are we
training people to do those jobs? Telecommuting: more Americans
are able to work at home.
Tourism
Politics: How do we work effectively between city and county
governments? How do we interact with state politics?
Planning: With whom should communities partner to plan for the
future? How do we include diverse voices in that planning
process?
8Crossroads
Program and
Exhibition Ideas
The following information will assist and inspire you in developing local exhibitions and public
humanities programs to complement the themes of Crossroads: Change in Rural America.
Summary of Exhibition Themes
Crossroads addresses big ideas about a big subject – Rural America.
Crossroads tells this story by exploring the source of rural identity and its perpetuation in
literature, art, film, television and rhetoric. Different media, the hands of different artists, authors,
and storytellers, convey the values they associate with rural people and their perceptions of
rural places.
Few people control the land and other resources that feed, clothe and house the majority of the
U.S. population. Everyone has a stake in rural America because of the ways that the land, and
the people who own and manage it contribute to the general health and welfare of all.
Americans also have a vested interest in the land that individuals do not own. A 2017 report by
the Congressional Research Service indicates that the U.S. government owns 28 percent of the
total U.S. land mass of 2.27 billion acres. Four national land management agencies, plus the
Department of Defense, manage these 640 million acres. Those agencies include the Bureau of
Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and the
Forest Service. See “Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data,”
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42346.pdf.
Communities anchor local government, cultural institutions, businesses, transportation
services, and rural society. Rural communities thrived during the 20th century but many now
appear as mere shells of their former selves. Main Streets, once the destination for rural
populations who frequented theaters, schools, banks, general stores, and churches, now serve
as refueling stations, with many passing through on their way to somewhere else. Residents did
not just sit and watch these changes occur. They instigated a series of reform efforts throughout
the century to ensure a high standard of living and pride in place. Local boosters remain
invested in rural communities.
Reformers reorganized rural places. Disagreements over the meaning of “progress” can create
divisions. Some view building a new school as an investment in the future that can help sustain
a place, while others view the consolidation and closing of smaller community schools as too
high a price to pay. Every place wrestles with these changes. Persistence will ensure the future
of the land that supports the people and communities and businesses that feed, clothe, and
house us all.
Managing Change in the countryside requires dedication, communication, and cooperation.
1Rural Americans speak to all these themes, sharing “what rural means” to them, and explaining
the reasons why they came to rural places, remain in rural places, and advocate for rural
places.
Each Crossroads host contributes to the ongoing effort to understand the complexity of rural
people and places and the critical role that each plays in the local, state, regional, and national
context.
Collaborate!
All Museum on Main Street exhibitions encourage state humanities councils and host
communities to collaborate and partner with a variety of state, regional and local organizations.
Such partnerships are particularly important for Crossroads. Many have significant interest in
rural America. This exhibition offers an opportunity to engage different groups and encourage
your constituents to share their passions, issues, and concerns as well as the opportunities that
they see and challenges that they face. Crossroads community discussions will be most
effective when they involve partners that share many points of view on the subject – rural
America.
The program and exhibition ideas below offer some suggestions for potential partners. Historical
societies and organizations are critical to understanding who we are as a community. Local and
regional governments and state, local and regional government agencies will play a significant
role in discussions about the future of your rural communities. Arts organizations can engage
with Crossroads hosts to explore how Americans have viewed rural places through the past
century. So much of our understanding of rural America comes from stories. Partnerships
between historical organizations, schools, libraries, and other groups can result in creative
programming (plays, performances, poetry readings, essay contests, exhibitions and dramatic
readings) that encourages both reflection and conversation. The process can prompt reflection
on past perspectives but also generate new work about our rural places.
Humanities programming can also draw in experts in environmental sciences, agricultural
sciences, soil and water conservation, and resources management. Inviting diverse
perspectives to informal discussions or more formal panel presentations will broaden access to
perspectives not often heard in humanities program, but whose perspectives are vital to
understanding rural land use and resource management. Such conversations should include
representatives from local and county agencies (including elected and appointed officials as well
as individuals who engage with such agencies), state departments or bureaus such as the
department of agriculture, or conservation, or sustainability, and from national agencies such as
the U.S. Bureau of Land Management or the U.S. Forest Service. Discussions with many
perspectives around the table that all can speak to a shared concern will help local residents
gain information about local, state, and national organizations that have affected rural places in
the past and present, and that will affect it in the future.
See the Partnership Ideas document for additional suggestions for partners and collaborators.
Understanding Rural America
Crossroads provides an opportunity to:
2You can also read
