CHICAGO, June 5, 2008 - The Newberry, the world-renowned independent research library, today announced the appointment of Dr. Daniel Greene as the new director of its Dr. William Scholl Center for American History and Culture. Most recently, Greene was a historian at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, where he developed and curated gallery and Web exhibitions, and produced and curated Voices on Anti-Semitism, an audio/podcast series.
"Danny Greene is an exceptional scholar, writer and leader," said James Grossman, vice president for research and education. "The Newberry Library takes great pride in its remarkable collections related to the study of American culture. The Scholl Center and its director stand at the center of the community of scholars who use these collections."
As Director of the Scholl Center, Greene will play a leadership role in the Newberry's academic and public programs relating to American history and culture. In 2008 the Center is collaborating with the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and the Chicago History Museum to produce a major Web site relating to Lincoln, citizenship, and national memory. In conjunction with the Newberry's Professional Development Programs for Teachers, and with funding provided by four "Teaching American History" grants from the U.S. Department of Education, the Center is also playing an important role in professional development for American History teachers in the Chicago Public Schools and in the south suburbs. By developing research tools such as The Encyclopedia of Chicago and the multivolume Atlas of Historical County Boundaries, the Scholl Center has been providing vital resources for people seeking information about their communities.
"I am thrilled to be returning to Chicago to work at the Newberry Library," Greene said. "I look forward to working in an environment of talented librarians and academics from so many different disciplines-and I especially look forward to mining the Newberry's rich collections. I hope to help expand the Newberry's presence with both professionals and the general public."
Currently titled the Dr. William M. Scholl Center for Family and Community History, the Center will be officially renamed on July 1, 2008. The name change recognizes the Center's recent emphasis on American History and culture and the Newberry's longstanding commitment to teaching and research in American History. In addition to the Scholl Center, the Newberry is home to three other research centers: The D'Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian History; The Hermon Dunlap Smith Center for the History of Cartography; and the Center for Renaissance Studies.
Greene holds a Ph.D in History from the University of Chicago. He graduated from Wesleyan University with a BA in History with honors. He is currently completing a book that examines the origins of cultural pluralism in the United States at the beginning of the twentieth century. He has published articles on both American ethnic history and modern Jewish history.
ABOUT THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY
The Newberry Library, a preeminent humanities research and reference institution, is home to a world-class collection of books, manuscripts, maps, music, and other printed materials related to the history and culture of Western Europe and the Americas. The collections span many centuries and feature items such as illuminated medieval manuscripts, rare early maps, rich genealogical resources, and the personal papers of Midwest authors. The Newberry offers exhibits based on its collections, musical and theatrical performances, lectures and discussions with today's leading humanists, seminars and workshops, and teacher programs. Visit online at www.newberry.org or in person at 60 W. Walton St., Chicago, IL.