American Historical Association

Resolution Passed on April 25, 2006,
by the Society of American Historians, Inc.,
Suspending Smithsonian Books as a publisher-member of the SAH

The SAH has noted with mounting concern the Smithsonian Institution’s increasingly commercial approach to its mission. Earlier this year Smithsonian Books withdrew from publication hundreds of works of history or transferred publication rights to trade presses, often with no consultation with the authors.

Now Smithsonian has entered into an apparently restrictive agreement with Showtime. We understand the economic pressures that pushed Smithsonian into contracting with Showtime, but Smithsonian cares for the artifacts of this nation’s heritage as a public trust; there can be no justification for optioning that heritage to any private interest. Smithsonian’s public reassurances as to the character of its arrangement with Showtime are belied by Smithsonian’s insistence that the contract be kept private. We emphatically concur with the American Historical Association, which has concluded that Smithsonian’s relationship with Showtime constitutes a ‘violation of the trust of generations of Americans who have donated materials to which they believed the public would have free, open, equal, and non-discriminatory access forever.’

We urge Smithsonian to reconsider its contract with Showtime, as well as the character of its publishing program. In the meantime, the SAH has suspended Smithsonian Books as a publisher-member of the Society of American Historians.

[Signed]
Mark C. Carnes, Executive Secretary
Frances FitzGerald, President
Eric Foner, Vice President
Jean Baker
Ric Burns
Catherine Clinton
Lizabeth Cohen
Judy Crichton
Robert Dallek
Jane Garrett
David Grubin
Steven Hahn
Christine Leigh Heyrman
Kenneth T. Jackson
Robin D. G. Kelley
David M. Kennedy
David Levering Lewis
Pauline Maier
James McPherson
David Nasaw
Mary Beth Norton
Kathryn Kish Sklar
Richard Slotkin
Christine Stansell
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
Geoffrey C. Ward
Elliott West
Richard White
Tom Wicker

© American Historical Association