The Papers of Joseph Henry: January 1854-December 1857, The Smithsonian Years

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Summary

The documents in Volume 9 of The Papers of Joseph Henry trace the crisis faced by the Smithsonian's first Secretary, Joseph Henry (1797-1878), when he publicly clashed with and then fired the Smithsonian librarian, Charles Coffin Jewett, over the allocation of funds to various Smithsonian activities. This dispute was debated by the Smithsonian's Board of Regents, in newspapers across the country and, ultimately, in the United States Congress. During these years, Henry also accepted responsibility for the United States National Museum at the Smithsonian, a decision which would greatly alter the Institution's future course.

Subject

  • Henry, Joseph 1797-1878
  • Baird, Spencer Fullerton 1823-1887
  • Jewett, Charles C (Charles Coffin) 1816-1868
  • Board of Regents
  • United States National Museum
  • United States Congress
  • Smithsonian Institution Libraries (SIL)

Category

Smithsonian Institution History Bibliography

Notes

Includes photographs, notes on style and appendices. Work is extensively footnoted.

Contained within

(Book)

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

2002

Topic

  • Secretariats
  • Controversies
  • Secretaries
  • Letters
  • United States Congress, Relations with SI
  • SI, Early History
  • Libraries
  • Museums
  • Scientists
  • National Collections
  • Museum publications

Edition

Volume 9

Physical description

l, 516 pages

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