According to the Englishman whose fortune founded the Smithsonian, "Every man is a valuable member of society who by his observations, researches, and experiments procures knowledge for men." Sadly, the PC line at the Institution today is that 'only movements and institutions make a difference, not individuals.' A local businesswoman, whose husband runs the American Academy of Achievement, had pledged $38 million to the Smithsonian to create an exhibit on individual achievement. But her proposal caused so much controversy among the apparatchiks of the Institute's bureaucracy, she's now rescinded the pledge.

The curators of the Smithsonian seem to be united against so-called privatization of Institute exhibits, as this Washington Post Magazine piece shows, however the financial realities of museum management require that they seek private donations. And few corporate or private donors are eager to sign on for more projects that continue to ignore the positive aspects of American history. Neither are many members of Congress, which partially explains the Institute's funding problems.