Henson, Pamela
Former Institutional Historian, Strategic Initiatives and Programs, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
0000-0001-8001-977X
Henson, Pamela
Former Institutional Historian, Strategic Initiatives and Programs, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
History of the Smithsonian; history of science; history of museums; American Studies; oral history.
Positions
- Historian, Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives 1973 -
- Historian in Residence, American University 2000 - 2020
Geographic Focus
- Americas Transnational Region
Background And Education
Education And Training
Professional Biography
- Pamela Henson is the Historian for the history of the Smithsonian in Strategic Initiatives and Programs, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, serving since 1974. With a Ph.D. (1990) in history, she does research, publication, exhibits, websites and oral history interviews. Her research interests include history of the Smithsonian, museums, natural history, minority and women’s history, and use of oral history and visual materials. She taught oral history at American University for over a decade.
Awards And Honors
- Herbert Feis Award, conferred by American Historical Association, 2015
- Secretary’s Gold Medal for Exceptional Service, 2014
- Secretary's Award for Excellence, Innovative Spirit, conferred by Smithsonian Institution Secretary , 2013
Research And Grants
Investigator On
Publications
Selected Publications
-
Article
- Henson, Pamela M. 2016. "A Baseline Environmental Survey: The 1910–12 Smithsonian Biological Survey of the Panama Canal Zone." Environmental History, 21, (2) 206–287. https://doi.org/10.1093/envhis/emv165. 2016
- Henson, Pamela M. 2015. "Gail Sylvia Lowe, 1950-2015." Washington History, 27, (2) 72–73. 2015
- Henson, Pamela M. 2014. "Jane Wadden Turner, Smithsonian Librarian and Pioneer." Connect, Smithsonian Libraries Newsletter. 2014
- Henson, Pamela M. 2013. ""Increase and Diffusion of Knowledge" by the Smithsonian's Institutional History Division." The Federalist, (3612) 12–13. 2013
- Henson, Pamela M. 2013. ""O Instituto Smithsonian: Arquivos e a Historia da Ciencia"." Acervo, Revista da Arquivo Nacional, 26, (1) 113–122. 2013
- Henson, Pamela M. 2011. "The Nature Study Movement: The Forgotten Popularizer of America's Conservation Ethic by Kevin C. Armitage." History of Education Quarterly, 51, (1) 108–110. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-5959.2010.00313.x. 2011
- Henson, Pamela M. 2009. "Nineteenth Century Smithsonian Anthropologists: Creating a Discipline and a Profession." AnthroNotes, 30, (1) 12–18. 2009
- Henson, Pamela M. 2008. "Legal and Ethical Issues in Oral History for the Federal Historian." The Federalist: Newsletter of the Society for History in the Federal Government, (18) 7–8. 2008
- Henson, Pamela M. 2008. "Nineteenth Century Smithsonian Anthropologists: Creating a Discipline and a Profession." Anthronotes, 29, (1) 12–18. https://doi.org/10.5479/10088/22432. 2008
-
Blog Posting
- Henson, Pamela M. 2020. "How did the Smithsonian Respond to the 1918 Pandemic?" The Bigger Picture Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Archives. Jun 11, 2020. https://siarchives.si.edu/blog/how-did-smithsonian-respond-1918-pandemic. 2020
- Henson, Pamela and Neuhold-Ravikumar, Ruki. 2020. "The Smithsonian's Evolving Role as the Nation's Knowledge Partner." Smithsonian Voices Washington, DC: Smithsonian Magazine. Dec 1, 2020. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-education/2020/12/01/smithsonians-evolving-role-nations-knowledge-partner/. 2020
-
Chapter
- Henson, Pamela M. 2018. "American Zoos: A Shifting Balance between Recreation and Conservation." In From Ark to Zoo: The Evolution of Zoo and Aquarium Conservation. Minteer, Ben A., Maienschein, Jane, and Collins, James P., editors. 65–76. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 2018
- Henson, Pamela M. 2018. "Looking at Culture Through an Artist's Eyes: William Henry Holmes and the Exploration of Native American Archaeology." In Expeditionary Anthropology: Teamwork, Travel and the 'Science of Man'. Thomas, Martin and Harris, Amanda, editors. 127–149. New York: Berghahn Books. 2018
- Henson, Pamela M. 2017. "'A Nursery of Living Thoughts': G. Brown Goode's Vision for a National Museum in the Late Nineteenth Century United States." In Science Museums in Transition: Cultures of Display in Nineteenth-Century Britain and America. Berkowitz, Carin and Lightman, Bernard, editors. 165–187. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press. 2017
- Henson, Pamela M. 2015. "Natural History." In A Companion to the History of American Science. Montgomery, G. M. and Largent, M. A., editors. 444–455. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119072218.ch35. 2015
- Henson, Pamela M. 2014. "Introduction." In Mary Vaux Walcott: A Selection of Her Wildflowers of North America. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books. 2014
- Henson, Pamela M. 2014. "Spencer Fullerton Baird." In The Oxford Encyclopedia of the History of American Science, Medicine, and Technology. Slotten, H. R., editor. New York: Oxford University Press. 2014
- Henson, Pamela M. 2013. "Death Bed of the President." In Smithsonian Civil War: Inside the National Collection. Kagan, Neil and Hyslop, Stephen G., editors. 314–315. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books. 2013
- Henson, Pamela M. 2013. "The Letters of Solomon Brown." In Smithsonian Civil War: Inside the National Collection. Kagan, Neil and Hyslop, Stephen G., editors. 274–275. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books. 2013
- Henson, Pamela M. and Boudreau, Joan. 2013. "The Wartime Patent Office." In Smithsonian Civil War: Inside the National Collection. Kagan, Neil and Hyslop, Stephen G., editors. 124–127. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books. 2013
- Henson, Pamela M. 2013. "Wartime Smithsonian." In Smithsonian Civil War: Inside the National Collection. Kagan, Neil and Hyslop, Stephen G., editors. 16–19. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books. 2013
- Henson, Pamela M. 2009. "The Smithsonian Institution." In Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. 3rd. ed. Bates, Marcia J. and Maack, Mary Niles, editors. London: Taylor & Frances. 2009
- Henson, Pamela M. 2007. "Le mouvement d'etude de nature (Nature Study) aux Etats-Unis. Citoyens et Science vers la fin du 19eme siecle. Le role d'Anna Botsford Comstock." In Des Sciences Citoyennes? La Question de L'amateur dans les Sciences Naturalistes. Charvolin, Florian, Micoud, Andre, and Nyhart, Lynn, editors. Ed. de l'Aube. 2007
-
Review
- Henson, Pamela M. 2009. [Book review] "Everyday Nature: Knowledge of the Natural World in Colonial New York." Isis, 100, (3), 655–656. https://doi.org/10.1086/649165. 2009
Editor Of
-
Book
- Henson, Pamela M., editor. 2022. Wild Flowers of North America: Botanical Illustrations by Mary Vaux Walcott. 1 ed. Munich, Germany: Prestel. 2022
