For those who may not know, there is a brand new National African American History & Culture museum located on the National Mall in Washington DC! 1400 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. if you’re using Maps on your phone. The museum ensures that the flow of visitors is steady and everyone gets a chance to see by using timed passes which are distributed free, first come, first serve, starting at 9:15 am every day.
On September 22, 2016, the New York Times posted a special section about the museum and how the museum acquired it’s vast collection. The museum did not, as many do, start out with a core collection to which it added. Find out where all of these evocative objects came from in this interactive article.
In times of violence and anger, a topic that should be history is not. In times of racial protests and murders, knowledge that I think should be known by all in America has come to light. The Smithsonian has a new African American History & Culture museum overflowing with that knowledge. In a beautiful building that stands out from every other in the National Mall, this museum is one that does not shelter sensitive information. They have exhibits full of truth, such as neck ring shackles small enough to fit a child, a Ku Klux Klan hood accompanied by photos of lynchings and a child’s coffin that once held the body of Emmet Till exhibited in an empty room for people to sort of catch their breath. It’s not all such tragic objects though; the curators have included history of music, contemporary and abstract art, sports, and politics, achievements that will never go unnoticed and history that will always be told.