State History

Are you a New York State museum, historical society or heritage organization that wishes to engage more deeply in work related to Indigenous peoples? To assist you, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience - with generous support from the New York Council on the Arts - is offering free one-hour virtual consultations with four experts in a wide range of Native American issues, including history, arts, women and memorialization. Questions your organization may want to discuss include:

• What is settler colonialism and how can my museum begin to shape new understanding as we interpret local history?
• How can we engage more thoughtfully in the interpretation of place-based history that fully includes Indigenous communities?
• What issues do memorials in our community raise? Should they be removed, rethought, replaced?
• How can we rethink our museum collections to be more inclusive and represent diverse narratives?
• What message does a specific memorial send? Does it unite or divide us?
• What is a memorial's historic function?
• Does a memorial in my community include all perspectives on its history or does it tell it from only one perspective, that of the settler colonialists? How can that be changed?
• How can we ensure that school programs reflect deeper understandings of Indigenous communities?
• How can we ensure gender equity in our collections and interpretation?
• Should my museum have an Indigenous territorial recognition?
• How do museums create an inclusive governance framework for consultation and decision-making?

Who Is Eligible?
Museums of all types (such as, but not limited to art, science, history, and children’s) historical societies, historic sites, and Indigenous cultural centers. All organizations must have a public exhibiting component. The museum must be located in New York State.

How Will It Work?
Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once your application is accepted, you will receive the contact information for your consultant. You contact the consultant and arrange a mutually convenient time for the consultancy on whatever virtual platform works best for you and the consultant. Please share your key questions with the consultant in advance and any other materials you feel would be helpful. You may have as many staff or board members participate in the call as you wish. Once the consultancy is completed, museums must complete a brief evaluation form so we can process the consultant payment. Consultations must be completed by November 1, 2020.

How Do I Apply?
We strongly suggest watching the webinar Whose Hero?, that features all four consultants. It will provide ideas for approaching your particular community's issues and will help identify the consultant that will be the best fit for your organization. The application is available here.

Questions?
Contact Linda Norris at lnorris@sitesofconscience.org