Theresa McCulla: first Smithsonian Brewing History Initiative historian

Thomas Cizauskas
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Theresa McCulla: first Smithsonian Brewing History Initiative historian
Theresa McCulla: first Smithsonian Brewing History Initiative historian

The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History has announced its selection of Harvard scholar Theresa McCulla to be the first historian for its newly created Brewing History Initiative, a program which seeks to expand the Smithsonian’s understanding of the role beer has played—and continues to play—in American history.

—Smithsonian Magazine
Raise a Glass to the Smithsonian's First Beer Scholar
30 January 2017.

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▶ "McCulla comes to the position with a background in social history and food; she holds a culinary arts diploma from the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts’ Professional Chefs Program, directed the Food Literacy Project for Harvard University Dining Services, and managed Harvard’s two local farmers markets from 2007 to 2010. She will receive a doctorate in American Studies from Harvard University in May of this year. But this is McCulla’s first time studying beer exclusively."

▶ "The Smithsonian has already used food as a very critical and successful entry point into talking with the public about much bigger questions relating to American history,” says McCulla. “We really feel quite strongly that beer is a very effective lens into much bigger questions about American history. If you look at the history of beer, you can understand stories related to IMMIGRATION [emphasis mine] and industrialization and urbanization. You can look at advertising and the history of consumer culture and changing consumer taste. Brewing is integrated into all facets of American history."

▶ "The next phase of McCulla’s work will involve traveling around the country to visit brewers, hop farmers and other beer-focused professionals to collect objects and documents that could be put into the Smithsonian’s permanent collection. McCulla will also spend time interviewing those professionals, putting their words and stories together into an oral history of American brewing. And, throughout the process, her work will be shared with the public—either through events held at the Smithsonian, or through blog posts and social media."

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▶ The Brewing History Initiative is supported, in part, by the [U.S.] Brewers Association, a nonprofit trade group representing "small and independent" American breweries.
▶ Press release at National Museum of American History.
▶ Website for Brewing History Initiative: here.

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Taken on: January 27, 2017
Tags: Everybody's photos tagged with Smithsonian Smithsonian Everybody's photos tagged with beer history beer history Everybody's photos tagged with craft beer history craft beer history
Sets appears in:   • 2017_American Brewing Initiative    • 2017.01_Good January Fermentables   
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