Editor’s note: This is the seventh entry in a series on how historians—especially contingent historians and those employed outside of tenure-track academia—do the work of history. If you know of someone we should interview, or would like to be interviewed yourself, send an email with the subject line HOW I DO HISTORY to pitches@contingentmag.org.
Camille Bethune-Brown (@CuratingCamille) is the Director of Collections and Exhibits at the Women’s Museum of California. Here’s how she does history.
What’s your current position and how long have you worked there?
I am currently the Director of Collections and Exhibits at the Women’s Museum of California (WMC) in San Diego. I started in this role on February 1, 2020. In this position I oversee the museum’s entire collection including archives documenting California Women’s History from the early 20th century onwards. I hope to instill best practices for collections management which unfortunately the museum did not have before I arrived. When I first arrived at the museum, I noticed that artifacts were stored everywhere without proper attention to how conditions can affect the lifespan of an item. I want part of my legacy at the museum to be having established a clear set of standard operating procedures to ensure that artifacts are treated with care and respect. When artifacts are properly managed, they can bring enjoyment for many years to come. The museum is undergoing a massive transition with new leadership. It’s an exciting time to be here; we’re essentially rebuilding the museum from the ground up.
Tell our readers what a typical day of work is like for you. Is there such a thing as a typical day for you? How would you describe the work you do?
Since COVID-19 swept across the country, these days my work life looks a lot different. My work week starts with a weekly staff meeting to go over plans for the week. Minute-by-minute things are changing with businesses reopening or closing again. Here in California, Governor Newsom recently enacted another stay-at-home-order. I’ve been scrambling to gather items to bring home to work on. My day starts with checking emails usually from my director. Currently the museum is undergoing a huge deaccession of most of our library collection.1 These days I’m going through records to make sure they have complete donor information before beginning the process. One thing to note is that the museum didn’t have much of a deaccession policy. There was one but it was underutilized and needed to be updated so I spent quite a bit of time revamping it.
Camille leading a tour and explaining WMC items to museum visitors.
Before you began working at the Women’s Museum of California, what were some other history-related positions that you previously held? How did they prepare for your current jobs or working in public history in general?
I’ve always been a historian in some capacity. I’ve pretty much worked at larger historical institutions, much of my career was based in D.C. Now that I’m in San Diego, the museum community is much smaller and operates on a laid back approach which I find hilarious. I’m used to fast-paced environments with tight deadlines, so it’s been nice to take a step back and relax.
Larger museums, like the ones I worked at in D.C., are vastly different from smaller museums without federal funding. Even with the more frantic pace, there is something to be said about working at organizations who genuinely don’t have to worry if their rent will get paid on time. Federal museums also typically have unlimited collections management supplies and software which was something I greatly enjoyed. As far as people who helped prepare me, someone who I’ve long admired and considered a mentor in the field is Paul Gardullo at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. He does amazing work and was one of the first people that I met early on that truly inspires the work I do today.
Have you always been interested in history? If so, what’s your earliest memory about a historical topic or event?
I’ve loved history since I was roughly 13 years old. I visited Colonial Williamsburg often as a kid and when I was much younger, I was fascinated by the idea of acting out the past. I made the decision at 13 that Social Studies would be my favorite subject and I started to carve out my path towards being a historian.
As for African-American history, I remember learning about and being fascinated by The Exhibit of American Negroes which was a sociological display at the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris.2 I’m passionate about the ways in which African Americans have been displayed and contested their histories throughout time. Memory Studies is also a huge passion of mine.3
Exhibit of the American Negroes at the Paris exposition, November 1900.
Was there ever a moment where you knew you wanted to study history? Did anyone or anything in particular inspire you to study history?
For the longest time, until college, I thought being a historian meant that I had to be a teacher. So in college I minored in secondary education because I thought I was going to be a teacher. It was during my junior year that I was told I had to complete an internship. Being so close to D.C., one of the options was to work at BET headquarters which I thought was so cool. I remember thinking I’ll get to be on TV. Sadly that intern spot was already taken by a classmate. It was then, however, that I learned from the Chair of my academic program about the Maryland Historical Society. It’s located in Baltimore and is a museum and library plus offers education programs. I interned there for over a year. Something in me clicked that from then on I was meant to work in museums. I’m grateful to this day for that internship because not only was it informative but it helped hone in on a lifelong love.
What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about what historians do and how they work?
The biggest misconception is that historians are just old white men. I’m here to show people that you can be young, black, queer and female and still tell thought-provoking history. The profession is still overwhelmingly white and male. The historian profession must shift to include more Black and Brown folks at the table. It’s not enough anymore to do the bare minimum by having Black historians as afterthoughts. There must be Black historians leading the charge for change.
Someone has to assemble and dress the museum mannequins. That someone is Camille.
For someone who is not familiar with the field of public history, how would you describe the field and what does public history mean to you?
I love public history. I think of public history as the much more exciting cousin to traditional history telling. I have found when history is brought into the public, folks are more likely to listen to it especially when you can make it exciting. It’s one of the reasons why I was drawn to museums. Where else can you learn history in quick, clear paragraphs with flashy exhibits and cool artifacts?
How well did your particular history training prepare you for your current position/s?
My education and training of course helped, but I’ve also had some amazing mentors over the years. One such person is Jackie Peterson, (@jp_exhibitsvcs) who is based out of Seattle. She’s a Black historian working in museums. I’ve learned so much from her wisdom. Everyone should know her and her work. Jackie is both a mentor and friend. She’s been in the public history field close to 15 years. Much of the work she does is inspired by her own identity. She creates incredible educational exhibits that encourage a deep understanding of the past. I cannot recommend her and her work enough.
What is something people don’t understand or appreciate about working in a museum?
A lot of people think I sit around and play with artifacts all day like it’s Antiques Roadshow. Which don’t get me wrong that would be cool. Sadly my life though is filled with lots of daily paperwork and navigating the legalese of acquiring artifacts.
What do you find to be the most rewarding part of working in public history?
Whenever people reach out to tell me how much an exhibit that I helped create or worked on meant to them. It’s also very rewarding when school groups visit my museums. I love meeting with the students and really enjoy hearing them tell me that they want to do what I do.
What advice would you share with someone wanting to work in public history, particularly in a museum?
First, find an area to focus on. I’m a historian by training but my concentration is in 20th century Black History. Second, be open to working in all sorts of museums. When I first started I only wanted to work in U.S. History museums. I’ve since realized that sometimes you have to evolve if you want to find, and keep, a job. Third, always negotiate when taking a job and know your worth.
On your website, there is a quote: “just a storytelling maven.” What does it mean and how important are stories and storytelling to your understanding and interpretation of history?
I’m someone who tells stories about the past in a way that is fun, engaging and informative. I believe in thought-provoking conversations that force America’s reckoning with its collective past. My work is inspired by my own identity as a black woman. I believe that the first step to understanding history and subsequently presenting exhibits starts with sitting with difficult topics of the past. History has had a tendency to gloss over difficult topics without addressing it.
How can people learn more about you and your work?
Please visit my website www.camillebethunebrown.com or find me on Twitter (@CuratingCamille).
What is something that people would be surprised to learn about you?
I’ve been teaching yoga since 2009. It’s a passion of mine, especially bringing the benefits of yoga to under-served communities.
If you weren’t a scholar, what kind of work do you think you’d be doing?
I’ve always loved libraries. Sometimes I think to myself if I wasn’t a historian I would work in a library recommending books all day.
- Removing items from a museum’s collection.
- For more about the exhibit, see Alex Q. Arbuckle’s Mashable article “The Exhibit of American Negroes.”
- Memory Studies is a multidisciplinary field that emphasizes memory as a vital way of remembering the past. It also stresses that memory is an act of work, through labor, action, even pain and suffering.