Audubon - WKTV Journal

By Samuel Blatchford
Capital News Service

John James Audubon (Courtesy, Library of Congress)

LANSING – A National Audubon Society decision to keep its name is bitterly dividing members, some of whom are pressing to distance the organization from namesake John James Audubon, who was an enslaver.

Many Audubon chapters across Michigan are still wrestling with what to do about the name on local levels.

There are more than 30 chapters across the state.

Well established brand

The organization was founded in 1905 and named after America’s most famous naturalist and bird artist, John James Audubon, who died in 1851.

Kirk Waterstripe, a board member of the Grand Traverse Audubon Club in Traverse City, said he learned about the national decision from another member.

He said the local discussion was limited.

“We all agreed that’s how things were done in the 1800s, and we can’t really judge that world by our moral and ethical standards,” he said.

“We’ve learned from that history. We wouldn’t do it now, but the brand is established,” Waterstripe said.

He said that the Aububon name has become synonymous with birding.

“People see (Audubon) and they associate it with birds,” he said.

Waterstripe said the Traverse City chapter board will discuss releasing a statement in its newsletter.

Some National Audubon Society chapters, including ones in Chicago and Seattle, have already put out statements opposed to keeping the ‘Audubon’ name.

In a press release, the Chicago Audubon Society said it will call on the National Audubon Society to change its name and, if that doesn’t happen, the chapter will select a new name.

Local chapter decides to keep Audubon in name

The Grand Rapids Audubon Club said in a statement it will keep the name.

“The Grand Rapids Audubon Club has been monitoring and carefully considering these important conversations that are happening at the local, state and national levels. At this time we will maintain our club name,” the statement said.

Some chapter members say they need more time to think about what to do.

Don Burlett, the president of the Oakland Audubon Society, said it is going to take some time to decide at a local level whether to change its name.

“We are in discussions, Burlett said. “There is a lot to be considered in the whole decision, but those issues are all being discussed and it may take some time before we make a decision.”

He said the chapter may survey its members to get their opinions and thoughts.

Name change does not impact affiliation

“For many people, it’s a personal decision as to whether they would want to keep the name or change the name,“ said Burlett.

If a chapter decides to change its name, it can easily do so.

“Any organization affiliated with National Audubon is completely free to change their name and it won’t affect the affiliation, ” he said.

At a national level, the process of determining whether to keep or drop the Audubon name took over a year and included consulting with local chapters and staff.

Three members of the national board resigned in mid-March to protest the majority decision to retain the name.

Sam Blatchford was born and raised in Orange County, California. He is working on his bachelor’s degree in journalism. He has a passion for both tennis and music. He aspires to be either a tennis reporter or a music journalist. His favorite tennis player is Nick Kyrgios, and his favorite genre of music is rock. Sam’s hobbies include playing tennis, recording music and watching as many sporting events as possible. He has written articles for 89 FM, the Impact.

By Hannah Ebeling, Calvin College

“The science that we have today is shaped so much by a desire to know the God that created it,” said David Malone, dean of college and seminary library. John James Audubon reflects this desire to understand creation in his passionate and detailed study of North American birds.

Rare Audubon prints gifted to Calvin

Calvin College was recently gifted, by Udean Burke, Birds of America, a collection of prints by naturalist and painter John James Audubon. The collection was produced in 1966 by American Heritage Publishing and has an estimated value in the tens of thousands. The set contains 431 colored illustrations of a wide variety of birds of the United States, and is one of only 120 complete sets known to exist. Audubon’s Birds of America was originally produced between 1827 and 1838, consisting of hand-colored prints made by engraved plates.

The donor, owner of Nancy and Udean Christian Tours, emphasized the importance of gifting this set to a Christian institution. “The donor was looking for a Christian school that would put them to use,” said Malone. The prints were given to be used at the discretion of the college, without restrictions, for the needs of the school, he said.

“I think it reflects well on Calvin that someone really not that familiar with Calvin, except by reputation, would select us for this gift,” said Randy Vogelzang, director of gift planning and major gifts. “It was an unexpected blessing and quite an honor and a privilege that they would have the confidence in supporting us and Calvin’s mission.”

Collection to be available to all

“Generally, when we have something like this, it’s my desire that we not hide it somewhere just in storage, and that the materials get engaged,” said Malone. “That’s really at the core of what a library does.” They are valuable and need to be well cared for, but that does not necessarily mean they need to be sequestered and unavailable, explained Malone.

The library’s goal would be that these prints are engaged and made available for natural science and history courses to understand the role of documentation in the history of science. “The collection is very attractive, and I can imagine that it could be framed and hung around the campus,” he said.

Complete set in perfect condition

The prints are in near perfect condition and while individual prints of Audubon’s Birds of North America are available, it is much rarer to come across a complete set of all 431 prints, much less in perfect condition, explained Vogelzang. “There are very few private colleges that have sets like this,” he said. “It is pretty remarkable for a smaller college to have something like this in their collection.”

“It was attractive to obtain them simply because of what they were, but it’s also desirable to find new ways of connecting curriculum with resources, and these kinds of visual materials are very different in that way,” said Malone.

What separates Audubon’s work is the detail and the intricacy that he was able to create in his documentation, explained Malone. The prints show the change in how the natural world was being documented and viewed at the time. “These fit well within a reformed perspective,” said Malone. “This is God’s creation, let us fully understand the depth of it and try and understand as much as we can.”

Reprinted with permission from Calvin College.