SI Records
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 14-212, National Air and Space Museum, Enola Gay Exhibition Records
This accession consists of records created and maintained by Martin Harwit, Director of the National Air and Space Museum (NASM), 1987-1995, documenting plans to exhibit the "Enola Gay" and the resulting controversy. A script for "The Crossroads: The End of World War II, the Atomic Bomb and the Origins of the Cold War" was released for comment in January 1994. The exhibition was retitled "The Last Act: The Atomic Bomb and the End of World War II" and the script underwent several major revisions through January 1995. Each version of the script was met with controversy, particularly from veterans groups. On January 30, the exhibition was cancelled and Harwit resigned as Director on May 2, 1995. On June 28, 1995, "Enola Gay" was presented as a fact-based exhibition with little interpretation and significant emphasis on the aircraft's restoration. After his resignation, Harwit continued to collect clippings and journal articles related to the "Enola Gay" and its exhibition. In 1996, Harwit published the book "An Exhibit Denied: Lobbying the History of Enola Gay." Materials include correspondence, exhibition floor plans, Congressional hearing statement, articles, clippings, notes, brochures, and related materials. Some materials document projects and professional activities undertaken by Harwit after his resignation.
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.