'The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects': why Richard Kurin chose as he did
Richard Kurin, a Smithsonian executive, chose such items as Thomas Jefferson's Bible and Sitting Bull's drawing book.
Richard Kurin is the author of 'The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects.'
When Richard Kurin drew up a list of 101 items that define America鈥檚 past, three vintage books made the list.
Kurin is the author of a lavish new coffee table volume titled 鈥�The Smithsonian鈥檚 History of America in 101 Objects,鈥� just published by Penguin Press in an attractive hardcover. When Kurin, a Smithsonian executive, surveyed the contents of all of the institution鈥檚 collections and compiled his inventory of iconic objects in the nation鈥檚 life, everything from the Declaration of Independence to Eli Whitney鈥檚 cotton gin to Muhammad Ali鈥檚 boxing gear made the cut. But Kurin鈥檚聽 list also includes three priceless volumes: Thomas Jefferson鈥檚 Bible, Harriet Tubman鈥檚 hymnal, and Sitting Bull鈥檚 drawing book.
Jefferson, who had unorthodox religious beliefs, distilled his own version of the Bible by trimming selected passages from traditional scriptural texts, pasting them onto sheets of paper, and then having the result professionally bound and labeled on the spine as 鈥淭he Morals of Jesus.鈥�
鈥淛efferson kept the book at his Monticello home, read it before bed, and drew lessons and wisdom from it,鈥� Kurin tells readers. 鈥淗e had no plans to publish it or distribute it broadly, knowing that many would take exception to his approach.鈥�
Although Tubman, a leader of the Underground Railroad that helped American slaves escape to freedom, could not read or write, her hymnal was apparently a treasured possession. 鈥淭he 112-page book with paper-wrapped board covers and cloth spine naturally falls open to the hymns read to her or that she sang, among them 鈥楽wing Low, Sweet Chariot,鈥� which was sung at her funeral,鈥� Kurin writes.
Sitting Bull, a Native American leader eventually imprisoned by U.S. authorities after a long life of resisting the encroachment of tribal land by pioneer settlers, used a blank ledger book during his confinement to draw scenes from his life. 鈥淗aving learned to write his name in English while in Canada, Sitting Bull signed each of the drawings,鈥� Kurin notes.
Kurin mentions that he almost included on his list Ben Franklin鈥檚 printing press, a powerful symbol of America鈥檚 early literary culture and its quest for freedom from the British. 鈥淏ut the press we have at the Smithsonian might have been the one he used as a young man in England 鈥� maybe not the best illustration of the principle,鈥� Kurin writes.
Danny Heitman is a Monitor contributor.