American Archives Month Employee Spotlights - McKenzie Morse
Name: McKenzie Morse
Job Title: Archivist (Audiovisual Archivist) at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum
How long have you worked at the National Archives?
15 years.
What made you interested in being an archivist? Why did you want to work at your Presidential Library in particular?
I began my young life as a career archaeologist. During the final year of my Ph.D. program, my classmate told me about her part-time student worker position at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library. I was floored to learn that “ordinary” people were allowed to handle a former President’s papers and shortly began my own volunteer gig at the library. During graduation week, I mailed in my application for an archives technician position. I later became an archives specialist and now, an archivist.
Give us an overview of your job. What are some of your responsibilities?
I enjoyed working in the Textual Archives for 14 years. Upon the retirement of longtime audiovisual archivist Mary Finch, I transferred to the Audiovisual Archives. Today, my chief responsibilities are identifying, creating, and providing digitized contact sheets, still photographs, and videos for our researchers. I provide material for some of our museum exhibits and for social media. We are also working on a major website redesign, so our photos, videos, and audio files will interface with the National Archives Catalog.
What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you in this line of work? What’s the best?
Archivists don’t like for strange things to happen; that might mean that something has gone missing. Our researchers include notable authors, documentary filmmakers, museum curators, and former Bush administration officials, but my favorites are the people who are seeking to replace their own lost photos. The man whose picture-framer lost the photo of him shaking hands with the President when the President visited his business. The woman whose baby had been held by Mrs. Bush, but the woman wasn’t situated at the right angle to take a good picture herself. I can make these people really, really happy.
What’s your favorite fact about the President for your particular library?
George Bush’s favorite book was Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry. It’s a good book, if you don’t mind the part about the water moccasins.
You’re having dinner with the President of your library. What restaurant would you take him to or what would you cook? What artifact would you ask him about? Why?
I’d take him to Torchy’s, our local taco place. Torchy’s is inexpensive, and it doesn’t serve broccoli (which the President disliked). I’d ask him about his wife’s scrapbooks. Barbara Bush made more than 110 scrapbooks filled with family photographs, newspaper clippings, dinner menus, and other memorabilia. Eighty-six of the scrapbooks are huge, 2′ x 3′, each weighing perhaps 20 pounds. Now the books are in our AV Department. I am dying to know how the Bush family stored those scrapbooks and transported them among residences.
If you were making a movie about your President, what would the tagline be and who would you cast? Why?
Playing the President will be John Lithgow. He portrayed one fine statesman, so he can surely portray another. Then we must come together across the aisle and cast Olympia Dukakis (deceased cousin of George Bush’s political rival, Michael Dukakis) as Barbara Bush. The tagline will be, “I like a colorful sock. I am a sock man.”
What's your favorite document, and why?
President Reagan was shot during an assassination attempt on March 30, 1981. Vice President Bush was flying home from Texas when he reacted to the news. He grabbed the Air Force Two flight program and wrote his feelings about the grave situation and about President Reagan himself. It is demonstrative of the humanity in George Bush's character.
What advice would you have for someone interested in a career in archival work, or how would you convince someone to consider a career in archival work?
Early in your education, read job descriptions and requirements for jobs you think you might like to have. It's never too early to start meeting those requirements.
Lastly (and most important), why should people visit or learn more about your Presidential Library?
Our museum is consistently voted as one of the top attractions in the Brazos Valley and is located on the spirited campus of Texas A&M University. Our archives has the finest customer service in all the land.