Thanks for this update, Rebecca!

I meant to collate the various replies to that original query I posted about 
History Detectives, but went out of town for a few days and by the time I 
got back it had morphed into a conversation about other things, such as Time 
Team. I enjoyed all the postings, however, and as usual was fascinated by 
the many ways that these online conversations develop.

I did want to say, though, that all of us who are involved in the Levi 
Jordan Plantation project appreciate the input that various posters offered 
about the experience of working with History Detectives show -- please 
forgive me if I didn't reply to each, but we are grateful for your help. We 
are meeting later today and will discuss some possible options. The final 
decision will be, of course, with the site's current owners (the State of 
Texas, but operationally, our SHPO, the Texas Historical Commission). But 
they are very good about taking community input on board, so I'm sure it's 
something that will be discussed at some length before anything happens --  
or doesn't happen!

If anyone would be interested in doing a session about this sort of thing at 
SHA 2011 -- please do! (and please forgive the commercial from the Program 
Committee!). I have a feeling it would be well-attended!

Once again this list has come through...many thanks.

Carol

******************************************
Carol McDavid, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Community Archaeology Research Institute, Inc. (CARI)
Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Houston
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Rice University
1638 Branard
Houston, TX 77006
www.publicarchaeology.org



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rebecca S. Graff" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, March 26, 2010 8:40 PM
Subject: History Detectives--Update


> Dear Histarchers,
>
> For those of you who followed the thread regarding the History
> Detectives, I am writing to update the list with a positive
> result.  The series producer, Jennifer Silverman, just
> contacted me after someone sent her our histarch thread.
>
> While there seems to have been some confusion on their
> end—they think they called me to talk about this but did
> not—Ms. Silverman wrote that when my concerns made it up the
> chain, they dropped the idea of using the looted Jackson Park
> objects for their program.  She also wrote these heartening words:
>
> I want to assure you of History Detective's
>>   dedication to preserving history and treating
>>   historic sites ethically and with respect.  It was
>>   never our intention to approve or promote the
>>   mishandling of any historic artifact or site.
>
> I let Ms. Silverman and her associates know that I would
> report this response to the listserv, so here it is.  Thanks
> again for all the thoughtful contributions to this conversation.
>
> Best,
> Rebecca
> ---------------------------
> Rebecca S. Graff
> PhD Candidate
> Department of Anthropology
> University of Chicago
> 1126 East 59th Street
> Chicago, IL 60637
> [log in to unmask]