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'''Michael Atwood Mason''' (born 1966) is an American folklorist and museum professional. He is the Director of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
'''Michael Atwood Mason''' (born 1966) is an American folklorist and museum professional. He is the Director of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.


==Early Life and Education==
==Early life and education==
⚫
Mason is the youngest of three children born to John Skain Mason and Ardath Mason Cade. Born in [[McCook, Nebraska]], he was raised in the [[Washington, DC]], metropolitan area. He is married and has two children.


⚫
After studying classics at [[St. John's College (Annapolis/Santa Fe)]], [[New Mexico]], for two years, Mason transferred to the [[University of Oregon]], where he earned his [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in [[American studies]] and was elected the [[Phi Beta]] Kappa National Honor Society. He earned his [[Master of Arts|MA]] and his [[PhD]] at the [[Folklore Institute]] at [[Indiana University Bloomington]].
⚫
Mason is the youngest of three children born to John Skain Mason and Ardath Mason Cade. Born in [[McCook, Nebraska]], he was raised in the [[Washington, DC]], metropolitan area. He is married and has two children.


⚫
After studying classics at [[St. John's College (Annapolis/Santa Fe)]], [[New Mexico]], for two years, Mason transferred to the [[University of Oregon]], where he earned his [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in [[American studies]] and was elected the [[Phi Beta]] Kappa National Honor Society. He earned his [[Master of Arts|MA]] and his [[PhD]] at the [[Folklore Institute]] at [[Indiana University Bloomington]].
==Smithsonian career==
==Smithsonian career==
⚫
Mason began his career at the [[Anacostia Community Museum]], where he worked as a researcher and exhibit developer for the ''Black Mosaic'' exhibition.<ref name=one>[http://anacostia.si.edu/exhibits/past_exhibtions/black_mosaic/mosaic.htm Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, "Black Mosaic: Community, Race, and Ethnicity Among Black Immigrants in Washington, DC." Accessed April 22, 2013.]</ref> In 1994, he moved to the [[Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History|National Museum of Natural History]] to work as an exhibit developer and co-curator on the ''African Voices'' exhibit.<ref name=two>[http://www.mnh.si.edu/africanvoices/ Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, "African Voices." Accessed April 22, 2013.]</ref> Since that time, he has developed or curated more than 60 exhibitions, including ''Ritmos de Identidad/Rhythms of Identity'' at the Arts and Industries Building with the Smithsonian Latino Center,<ref>[http://latino.si.edu/virtualgallery/Sabor/SalsaResearchResources/SonClaveLounge/SCLI_ritmos.htm] Smithsonian Center for Latino Initiatives, "Ritmos de Identidad: Fernando Ortiz's Legacy and the Howard Family Collection of PercussionInstruments." Accessed April 22, 2013.</ref> and ''Discovering Rastafari''.<ref>[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/discover-rastafari-200801.html Blumberg, Jess. "One Love: Discovering Rastafari!." Smithsonian.com, January 1, 2008. Accessed April 22, 2013. ]</ref> In 2009, he became the Director of Exhibitions, where he was instrumental in the development and opening of the ''David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins'' in 2010.<ref name=five>[Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, "David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins Exhibition Team Biographies." Accessed April 22, 2013. http://www.mnh.si.edu/press_office/releases/2010/HO_press_kit/Exhibition_Team_Bios_final.pdf]</ref>

⚫
Michael began his career at the [[Anacostia Community Museum]], where he worked as a researcher and exhibit developer for the ''Black Mosaic'' exhibition.<ref name=one>[http://anacostia.si.edu/exhibits/past_exhibtions/black_mosaic/mosaic.htm Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, "Black Mosaic: Community, Race, and Ethnicity Among Black Immigrants in Washington, DC." Accessed April 22, 2013.]</ref> In 1994, he moved to the [[Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History|National Museum of Natural History]] to work as an exhibit developer and co-curator on the ''African Voices'' exhibit.<ref name=two>[http://www.mnh.si.edu/africanvoices/ Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, "African Voices." Accessed April 22, 2013.]</ref> Since that time, he has developed or curated more than 60 exhibitions, including ''Ritmos de Identidad/Rhythms of Identity'' at the Arts and Industries Building with the Smithsonian Latino Center,<ref>[http://latino.si.edu/virtualgallery/Sabor/SalsaResearchResources/SonClaveLounge/SCLI_ritmos.htm] Smithsonian Center for Latino Initiatives, "Ritmos de Identidad: Fernando Ortiz's Legacy and the Howard Family Collection of PercussionInstruments." Accessed April 22, 2013.</ref> and ''Discovering Rastafari''.<ref>[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/discover-rastafari-200801.html Blumberg, Jess. "One Love: Discovering Rastafari!." Smithsonian.com, January 1, 2008. Accessed April 22, 2013. ]</ref> In 2009, he became the Director of Exhibitions, where he was instrumental in the development and opening of the ''David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins'' in 2010.<ref name=five>[Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, "David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins Exhibition Team Biographies." Accessed April 22, 2013. http://www.mnh.si.edu/press_office/releases/2010/HO_press_kit/Exhibition_Team_Bios_final.pdf]</ref>
As one of the leaders of the ''Recovering Voices'' initiative at the Smithsonian, he has led the planning for the proposed ''Recovering Voices'' exhibition at NMNH, designed to put a human face on the global crisis of language and knowledge loss.<ref>[http://anthropology.si.edu/recovering_voices/ Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, "Recovering Voices: Documenting & Sustaining Endangered Languages & Knowledge." Accessed April 22, 2013.]</ref> In 2012, he led a collaboration between the Smithsonian and the NGO Cultural Survival to host the international conference, “Our Voices on the Air: Reaching New Audiences through Indigenous Radio,” convening 28 radio producers from eight countries to explore the nexus of community radio and language revitalization.<ref>[http://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/our-voices-air-reaching-new-audiences-through-indigenous-radio Cultural Survival, "Our Voices on the Air: Reaching New Audiences through Indigenous Radio." Last modified April 25, 2012. Accessed April 22, 2013.]</ref>
As one of the leaders of the ''Recovering Voices'' initiative at the Smithsonian, he has led the planning for the proposed ''Recovering Voices'' exhibition at NMNH, designed to put a human face on the global crisis of language and knowledge loss.<ref>[http://anthropology.si.edu/recovering_voices/ Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, "Recovering Voices: Documenting & Sustaining Endangered Languages & Knowledge." Accessed April 22, 2013.]</ref> In 2012, he led a collaboration between the Smithsonian and the NGO Cultural Survival to host the international conference, "Our Voices on the Air: Reaching New Audiences through Indigenous Radio", convening 28 radio producers from eight countries to explore the nexus of community radio and language revitalization.<ref>[http://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/our-voices-air-reaching-new-audiences-through-indigenous-radio Cultural Survival, "Our Voices on the Air: Reaching New Audiences through Indigenous Radio." Last modified April 25, 2012. Accessed April 22, 2013.]</ref>


At the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Mason oversees the [[Smithsonian Folklife Festival]] on the National Mall, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, and other cultural educational programs. The Center’s productions have won Grammy, Academy, Emmy and Webby awards.
At the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Mason oversees the [[Smithsonian Folklife Festival]] on the National Mall, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, and other cultural educational programs. The Center's productions have won Grammy, Academy, Emmy and Webby awards.

⚫
==Other Activities==


⚫
==Other activities==
Mason served as an exhibit developer for the inaugural exhibition at the [[Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture]] in [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rflewismuseum.org/ |title=Home &#124; Reginald F. Lewis Museum |publisher=Rflewismuseum.org |date=2013-09-14 |accessdate=2013-12-08}}</ref> He is a member of the founding faculty of the Cultural Sustainability Masters Program at [[Goucher College]] in [[Towson]], Maryland, where he teaches students to develop community-based exhibitions that serve local needs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goucher.edu/graduate-programs/ma-in-cultural-sustainability/faculty |title=Faculty : Goucher College |publisher=Goucher.edu |date= |accessdate=2013-12-08}}</ref>
Mason served as an exhibit developer for the inaugural exhibition at the [[Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture]] in [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rflewismuseum.org/ |title=Home &#124; Reginald F. Lewis Museum |publisher=Rflewismuseum.org |date=2013-09-14 |accessdate=2013-12-08}}</ref> He is a member of the founding faculty of the Cultural Sustainability Masters Program at [[Goucher College]] in [[Towson]], Maryland, where he teaches students to develop community-based exhibitions that serve local needs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goucher.edu/graduate-programs/ma-in-cultural-sustainability/faculty |title=Faculty : Goucher College |publisher=Goucher.edu |date= |accessdate=2013-12-08}}</ref>


==Research==
==Research==
⚫
Since 1992, Mason has published many articles on the religion and culture of the [[African Diaspora]]. His research focuses on the processes through which people deploy elements of the cultural heritage to construct their personal histories and identities, and he has focused extensively on the social construction of human subjectivity and experience. His book, ''Living Santería: Rituals and Experiences in an Afro-Cuban Religion'', was published by the Smithsonian Institution Press in 2002, and was nominated for the [[Victor Turner|Award]] for Ethnographic Writing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Living-Santer%C3%ADa-Experiences-Afro-Cuban-Religion/dp/1588340775 |title=Living Santería: Rituals and Experiences in an Afro-Cuban Religion: Michael Atwood Mason: 9781588340771: Amazon.com: Books |publisher=Amazon.com |date= |accessdate=2013-12-08}}</ref> Mason is also the author of the cultural blog dedicated to [[Babalu Aye]], ''Baba Who? Babalú!''.<ref>{{cite web|author=Michael Atwood Mason |url=http://baba-who-babalu-santeria.blogspot.com/ |title=Baba Who? Babalú! |publisher=Baba-who-babalu-santeria.blogspot.com |date= |accessdate=2013-12-08}}</ref>

⚫
Since 1992, Mason has published many articles on the religion and culture of the [[African Diaspora]]. His research focuses on the processes through which people deploy elements of the cultural heritage to construct their personal histories and identities, and he has focused extensively on the social construction of human subjectivity and experience. His book, ''Living Santería: Rituals and Experiences in an Afro-Cuban Religion'', was published by the Smithsonian Institution Press in 2002 and was nominated for the [[Victor Turner|Award]] for Ethnographic Writing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Living-Santer%C3%ADa-Experiences-Afro-Cuban-Religion/dp/1588340775 |title=Living Santería: Rituals and Experiences in an Afro-Cuban Religion: Michael Atwood Mason: 9781588340771: Amazon.com: Books |publisher=Amazon.com |date= |accessdate=2013-12-08}}</ref> Mason is also the author of the cultural blog dedicated to [[Babalu Aye]], ''Baba Who? Babalú!'' <ref>{{cite web|author=Michael Atwood Mason |url=http://baba-who-babalu-santeria.blogspot.com/ |title=Baba Who? Babalú! |publisher=Baba-who-babalu-santeria.blogspot.com |date= |accessdate=2013-12-08}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


== External links ==
==External links==
* http://www.folklife.si.edu/
* [http://www.folklife.si.edu/ Folklife.si.edu]
* http://baba-who-babalu-santeria.blogspot.com/
* http://baba-who-babalu-santeria.blogspot.com/ ''Baba Who? Babalú!'']


{{DEFAULTSORT:Mason, Michael Atwood}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mason, Michael Atwood}}

Revision as of 09:32, 14 December 2013

Michael Atwood Mason (born 1966) is an American folklorist and museum professional. He is the Director of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

Early life and education

Mason is the youngest of three children born to John Skain Mason and Ardath Mason Cade. Born in McCook, Nebraska, he was raised in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. He is married and has two children.

After studying classics at St. John's College (Annapolis/Santa Fe), New Mexico, for two years, Mason transferred to the University of Oregon, where he earned his BA in American studies and was elected the Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society. He earned his MA and his PhD at the Folklore Institute at Indiana University Bloomington.

Smithsonian career

Mason began his career at the Anacostia Community Museum, where he worked as a researcher and exhibit developer for the Black Mosaic exhibition.[1] In 1994, he moved to the National Museum of Natural History to work as an exhibit developer and co-curator on the African Voices exhibit.[2] Since that time, he has developed or curated more than 60 exhibitions, including Ritmos de Identidad/Rhythms of Identity at the Arts and Industries Building with the Smithsonian Latino Center,[3] and Discovering Rastafari.[4] In 2009, he became the Director of Exhibitions, where he was instrumental in the development and opening of the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins in 2010.[5]

As one of the leaders of the Recovering Voices initiative at the Smithsonian, he has led the planning for the proposed Recovering Voices exhibition at NMNH, designed to put a human face on the global crisis of language and knowledge loss.[6] In 2012, he led a collaboration between the Smithsonian and the NGO Cultural Survival to host the international conference, "Our Voices on the Air: Reaching New Audiences through Indigenous Radio", convening 28 radio producers from eight countries to explore the nexus of community radio and language revitalization.[7]

At the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Mason oversees the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, and other cultural educational programs. The Center's productions have won Grammy, Academy, Emmy and Webby awards.

Other activities

Mason served as an exhibit developer for the inaugural exhibition at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture in Baltimore, Maryland.[8] He is a member of the founding faculty of the Cultural Sustainability Masters Program at Goucher College in Towson, Maryland, where he teaches students to develop community-based exhibitions that serve local needs.[9]

Research

Since 1992, Mason has published many articles on the religion and culture of the African Diaspora. His research focuses on the processes through which people deploy elements of the cultural heritage to construct their personal histories and identities, and he has focused extensively on the social construction of human subjectivity and experience. His book, Living Santería: Rituals and Experiences in an Afro-Cuban Religion, was published by the Smithsonian Institution Press in 2002, and was nominated for the Award for Ethnographic Writing.[10] Mason is also the author of the cultural blog dedicated to Babalu Aye, Baba Who? Babalú!.[11]

References

  1. ^ Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, "Black Mosaic: Community, Race, and Ethnicity Among Black Immigrants in Washington, DC." Accessed April 22, 2013.
  2. ^ Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, "African Voices." Accessed April 22, 2013.
  3. ^ [1] Smithsonian Center for Latino Initiatives, "Ritmos de Identidad: Fernando Ortiz's Legacy and the Howard Family Collection of PercussionInstruments." Accessed April 22, 2013.
  4. ^ Blumberg, Jess. "One Love: Discovering Rastafari!." Smithsonian.com, January 1, 2008. Accessed April 22, 2013.
  5. ^ [Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, "David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins Exhibition Team Biographies." Accessed April 22, 2013. http://www.mnh.si.edu/press_office/releases/2010/HO_press_kit/Exhibition_Team_Bios_final.pdf]
  6. ^ Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, "Recovering Voices: Documenting & Sustaining Endangered Languages & Knowledge." Accessed April 22, 2013.
  7. ^ Cultural Survival, "Our Voices on the Air: Reaching New Audiences through Indigenous Radio." Last modified April 25, 2012. Accessed April 22, 2013.
  8. ^ "Home | Reginald F. Lewis Museum". Rflewismuseum.org. 2013-09-14. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  9. ^ "Faculty : Goucher College". Goucher.edu. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  10. ^ "Living Santería: Rituals and Experiences in an Afro-Cuban Religion: Michael Atwood Mason: 9781588340771: Amazon.com: Books". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  11. ^ Michael Atwood Mason. "Baba Who? Babalú!". Baba-who-babalu-santeria.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
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