The leadership change at the Missouri History Museum becomes official next month when Jody Sowell takes over as president and CEO.
Sowell is currently the managing director of public history for the Missouri Historical Society (MHS), which oversees the Missouri History Museum, as well as the MHS Library & Research Center and the Soldier’s Memorial Military Museum.
Prior to becoming managing director, Sowell served as director of exhibitions and research. Under his supervision, the Missouri History Museum opened eight of the 10 most-visited exhibits in its more than 100-year history, including “250 in 250,” “#1 in Civil Rights: The African American Freedom Struggle in St. Louis,” “The Louisiana Purchase” and “A Walk in 1875 St. Louis.”
“I often say that I wasn’t born in St. Louis, but I got here as fast as I could – that is because I think St. Louis is the most fascinating city in the country,” he said. “Any story you want to tell about American history, you can tell through St. Louis. If you want to talk about westward expansion, you can tell that story through St. Louis. If you want to talk about how immigration shaped the country, you can tell that story through St. Louis. If you want to talk about urban boom and bust and hoped for revitalization, there is no better city through which to tell that story than St. Louis. And if you are interested in arts and culture, I can introduce you to Kate Chopin, Katherine Dunham, Scott Joplin and countless others.”
Sowell says museums must always be evolving to meet the needs of changing audiences. And for the Missouri History Museum, he explains, it means including a larger number and a larger variety of St. Louis stories, as well as looking for new ways to tell well-known historical events such as the 1904 World’s Fair.
“I’m proud of how we have come up with inventive ways of sharing history – from creating exhibits that featured floor-to-ceiling cartoons to looking for new platforms to tell local history,” he said.
Sowell also envisions even better public access to the museum’s collection through physical exhibits and online programming, and enhancing visitor experience across all MHS facilities, including its Library & Research Center and Soldier’s Memorial downtown.
“It’s one of the things that makes us the best historical society in the country. But the only way to stay the best is to continually evolve and change,” he noted.
Sowell, who hails from Memphis, has a background in journalism, working as a reporter for the Dallas Morning News, as news editor for the Columbia Missourian, and as assistant professor at the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism.
Sowell joined the Missouri Historical Society in 2006 as an oral historian. And while he’s not a native St. Louisan, his enthusiasm for and deep knowledge of the city and the region he calls home has been evident through his work over the years.
“I’m inspired by St. Louis history,” Sowell said. “I’m inspired by James Eads who said I’ve never built a bridge before but I bet I could do that. I’m inspired by Annie Malone who launched a business empire in St. Louis that led her to be the country’s first African American female millionaire. I am inspired by Joseph Pulitzer who came to St. Louis not knowing how to speak English but launched here a journalism career that remains the pinnacle of that field’s history. I’m inspired by Irma Rombauer who used personal tragedy to write one of the most influential books of the 20th century – one that is probably on (many) kitchen shelves.”
Sowell’s appointment by MHS trustees came following a 12-month nationwide search to replace Frances Levine, who announced her retirement last year. His new role becomes effective July 11.
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