Created by
National Museum of African American History and Culture, American, founded 2003
Interview of
Clark, Jeannine Smith, American, 1928 - 2018
Interviewed by
Navies, Kelly Elaine, American
Recorded by
Moir, Kim, American
Subject of
Smithsonian Institution, American, founded 1846
Poor People's Campaign, American, 1967 - 1968
Dunbar High School, American, founded 1870
Howard University, American, founded 1867
Anacostia Community Museum, American, founded 1967
National Museum of Natural History, American, founded 1910
Kinard, John, American, 1936 - 1989
Brown, Claudine K., American, 1949 - 2016
Asbury United Methodist Church, American, founded 1836
Date
2018
Medium
digital
Dimensions
Duration: 85 min. (5100 sec.)
Total: 7400 MB
Description
An oral history interview of Smithsonian volunteer and Regent Jeannine Smith Clark, conducted on August 7, 2018 by Kelly Elaine Navies. The interview consists of one digital MOV video file captured on Canon 300, with a duration of 1:25:08. The file is 7.4 GB.
In this interview, Ms. Clark discusses her life and work in Washington, DC, as well as her storied family history. The first part of the interview covers her early family life and education in Washington, DC. Her family has been in Washington, DC at least since the early 19th century. Her parents were the activist and business couple John Archibald and Lorena Jackson Smith. Clark attended DC’s historically prestigious Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, and later Howard University, where she met her husband, Charles Howell Clark, MD. She describes their meeting in this interview.
The second half of the of the interview covers her various roles at the Smithsonian from being one of the very first African American docents when she started in 1968 in the midst of the Poor People’s Campaign, to being the first African American woman appointed to the Board of Regents. She also discusses being the Chair of the Women’s Committee and a founding member of the Cultural Education Committee. Towards the end of the interview, Ms. Clark reflects on the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Finally, Ms. Clark was in failing health during the interview and knew that she would be leaving this life soon. She passed away one day before her 90 birthday on October 4, 2018.
Place depicted
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Germany, Europe
Classification
Media Arts-Film and Video
Movement
African American - Latinx Solidarity
Poor People's Campaign
Type
oral histories
digital media - born digital
Topic
Activism
Africa
Education
Families
HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)
Local and regional
Museums
Women
World War II
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2018.109
Restrictions & Rights
© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5565bc339-13bd-4b36-aeb8-6c6a8b95ca66

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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