Tom Lowderbaugh was interviewed by Joanne Gernstein on July 3, 1996. Lowderbaugh was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1943. He began his career at the Smithsonian in 1977 as a writer/editor in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. He is currently the Deputy Director of that office. This interview discusses Lowderbaugh's work prior to coming to the Smithsonian, the course of his Smithsonian career, how he came to work at the Smithsonian, his first impressions of the Institution, his dissertation, a description of his two current projects, who he works with, a typical day, and challenges of working at the Smithsonian. The interview also covers changes he has seen and what he hopes to see in the future, what working at the Smithsonian means to him, memories of Folklife Festivals, what a typical day of work was when Lowderbaugh first started, Real Time events, visiting the museums when he is not working, and the overlap of his work at the Smithsonian and his teaching at the University of Maryland.

Object Details

See more items in: Smithsonian Memories Project, Festival of American Folklife Oral History Interviews; Smithsonian Memories Project, Festival of American Folklife Oral History Interviews / Interviews

Collection Citation: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 9594, Smithsonian Memories Project, Festival of American Folklife Oral History Interviews