Reuben Jackson was interviewed by Odette Diaz on July 5, 1996. He was born in Augusta, Georgia, in 1956 and began his career at the Smithsonian in April 1980 in the gift shop of the National Air and Space Museum (NASM). After completing the M.L.S. at the University of the District of Columbia in 1983, Jackson worked in library acquisitions at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH); from 1985-1987 he worked as a library technician at the National Museum of African Art (NMAfA). From February 1987 until April 1989 Jackson worked for the DC Public Libraries; he then returned to the Smithsonian to work as an archivist in the Duke Ellington Collection at the Archives Center of the National Museum of American History. This interview discusses the course of Jackson's career at the Smithsonian, the work he did at the gift shop of NASM, his first impressions of working at the Smithsonian, how his perception of the Smithsonian changed as he changed jobs, his childhood memories of the Smithsonian, his first day at the NASM gift shop, a typical day of work now, working with the other Smithsonian staff, the work environment of the Smithsonian compared to the DC Public Libraries, changes in the Smithsonian, Jackson's comments on racism and hiring at the Smithsonian, what working at the Smithsonian means to him, and several anecdotes about meeting famous people while working at the Smithsonian.

Object Details

See more items in: Smithsonian Memories Project, Festival of American Folklife Oral History Interviews; Smithsonian Memories Project, Festival of American Folklife Oral History Interviews / Interviews

Collection Citation: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 9594, Smithsonian Memories Project, Festival of American Folklife Oral History Interviews