Meeting Minutes 2019 12 11 FINAL

North Carolina Historical Commission Conference Call Minutes

December 11, 2019

The North Carolina Historical Commission (NCHC, Commission) met via conference call on Wednesday, December 11, 2019. The following commissioners were in attendance: David Ruffin, Chair; Dr. Mary Lynn Bryan; Dr. David Dennard; Samuel B. Dixon; Dr. Valerie A. Johnson; Dr. Malinda Maynor Lowery; Susan Phillips; Barbara B. Snowden; and Dr. Darin Waters. Absent were commissioners Millie M. Barbee and W. Noah Reynolds.

Others in attendance included: Dr. Kevin Cherry, Deputy Secretary, North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR); Ken Howard, director, Division of State History Museums (DSHM); John Campbell, chief curator, DSHM; Phil Feagan, General Counsel, DNCR; and Parker Backstrom, Office of Archives and History (OAH) Administrative Assistant and Recording Secretary for the NCHC.

Call to Order and Conflict of Interest Statement

Chairman Ruffin welcomed everyone and commenced the meeting at 3:03 PM. Roll was called to ensure that enough commissioners were in attendance to qualify as a quorum. [Dr. Lowery informed Mr. Backstrom via email on December 12 that she had joined the conference call a few minutes late but did not announce her presence.]

Mr. Ruffin explained that the purpose of the conference call is for the Commission to act upon just one item of business, consideration of accessions into the collections of the North Carolina Museum of History (MOH) and Division of State Historic Sites & Properties (DSHSP), and consideration of deaccession of an item in the collection of the former. The commissioners, having had a chance to review the list of items recommended by OAH staff for accession and deaccession, were asked whether any had a known or perceived conflict of interest with respect to any of the items. Ms. Snowden noted that she serves on the board of the North Carolina Museum of the Albemarle so would recuse herself when that institution’s collection came up for discussion. No other concerns were voiced so the meeting proceeded.

Accessions into the Collections of the MOH and DSHSP

Mr. Ruffin directed the attention of the commissioners to the list of items sent to them in advance of the meeting. Dealing with each grouping based upon institution, the chair proceeded to run through the items.

NC Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh (Accessions) – At the chairman’s invitation, Mr. Howard briefly summarized the provenance of a sword recommended for accessioning. Dr. Dennard moved approval of staff recommendations. The motion was seconded by Ms. Snowden, and the motion was passed unanimously.

Mountain Gateway Museum (Accessions) – At the chairman’s invitation, Mr. Howard briefly summarized the provenance of furniture recommended for accessioning. Dr. Bryan moved that staff recommendations be accepted as proposed. The motion was seconded by Dr. Johnson and carried unanimously.

NC Museum of the Albemarle (Accessions) – At the chairman’s invitation, Mr. Howard briefly summarized the history of a uniform recommended for accessioning. A motion to accept staff recommendations was proffered by Dr. Waters and seconded by Dr. Dennard. The motion was passed unanimously, with Ms. Snowden recusing herself.

NC Maritime Museums (Accessions) – Ms. Snowden moved and Dr. Johnson seconded a motion to accept staff recommendations. The motion was carried unanimously.

Division of State Historic Sites and Properties (Accessions) – Dr. Cherry noted that several pews from the church in question are being accessioned, but that one is a duplicate and will be placed in the DSHSP’s teaching collection. Following a couple of questions from Drs. Dennard and Johnson, a motion to accept staff recommendations was proffered by Dr. Dennard and seconded by Ms. Snowden. The motion was carried by unanimous vote.

NC Maritime Museums (Deaccessions) – At the chairman’s request Dr. Cherry summarized that the primary reason a motorboat was being deaccessioned by the Maritime Museum is because the bequeathed family artifact did not have full family support for donation to the museum. Addressing a question by Dr. Dennard, Dr. Cherry stated that this is the first time in his tenure as director of the OAH that such a circumstance had arisen and that it was unlikely to be repeated.

Dr. Johnson moved approval of staff recommendation that the boat be deaccessioned. Mr. Dixon seconded the motion and the motion was carried unanimously.

Adjournment

With business concluded, Ms. Snowden moved adjournment and Dr. Dennard seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 3:25 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

_____________________
Kevin Cherry