Skip to main content

The National Museum of African American History and Culture

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of going to DC and finally getting to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture. I really enjoyed myself. It was great to finally have a place where the story of my people, Black people, can be told for all to come and see. I love museums and this place definitely does not disappoint. As a student of history, I was really happy to see how much information they put into this building and how they tried very hard to tell our story with dignity and respect, while keeping intact not so popular truths of our place here in America.

The building itself is beautiful, and placed in a very prominent place on the National Mall right next to the Washington Monument and close to the White House. It definitely holds prime real estate in the center of DC. The lobby is a clean and open space, with the information desk dominating the first floor. There's a large square elevator that takes visitors to the bottom level where the tour begins, and one works their way upwards, following the story of African Americans in this country. There are objects from Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman, the Tuskegee Airmen, Emmit Till, and countless others.

It was a real pleasure to see so many things that had been gathered from the homes of normal people that so beautifully told the African American story. There were a lot of things that just came from regular people, not always big named famous persons from history. I almost feel like I rushed my way though in order to make sure I got to see it all, but I was pleasantly surprised that I knew much of the information they put into the museum, and I felt like my education on our history has been a very good one. Of course there were things that the museum didn't go into, but it's a space that can change and adapt with time and I look forward to seeing what kind of additions and changes are made in the future.

I just wanted to write a little about my experience and share some photos with my readers. If you ever get a chance to go visit, please do. It's a wonderful place to spend a few hours and it's full of interesting things. You'll definitely see something that makes the experience personal and you'll hopefully learn a few things while there as well.

Headgear, gloves and robe of Muhammad Ali

Costumes from the Broadway production of The Wiz.

Stool from the Greensboro lunch counter sit-ins. 

Picture of the Fisk Jubilee Singers

Exhibit on Brown vs. Board of Education with the original baby dolls used in the race experiment.

Shawl worn by Harriet Tumban, given to her by Queen Victoria

Painting by Aaron Douglas

Exterior view of the museum

Guard tower from Angola Prison

Training plane flown by Tuskegee Airmen

Inaugural gown of Johnetta B Cole from her time as President of Bennett College 

Beautiful fountain in a contemplation room

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Weekend Renewal

Shalom House, Montpelier, VA This weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a "Transformation Retreat." It was a weekend getaway for persons infected with HIV, and part of a series of other retreats and programs by The Renewal Projects, an organization in Richmond, VA. The experience was amazing, unforgettable, life-changing, and any other word you could think of to describe a simply beautiful weekend. We didn't have a large group, which at first seemed to be a bit of a bummer. But, it turned out to be the thing that made the experience that much better for myself, and I hope for the rest of the people who attended. My room during the retreat There were no televisions or radios. Our rooms were simple. The only lights outside were those lining the sidewalk from the two cabins we stayed in down to the "Shalom House" where we had our group meetings and activities, as well as our meals. The food was great, too! We practiced meditation a...

The fight of my life!

Since I've been back home in Portsmouth I've been taking time to just relax and get back to being at peace with my life. I've been able to see old friends, hang out, eat well, and fill my days with lots of laughter, which is good for the soul I know. I've been able to visit familiar places and have been greeted my familiar loving faces as well. It's truly been a blessing that I've been able to take a break and come home to hit the reset button in my life, and even more blessed that I have a husband who supports me in that, even if he (like me) misses being together each and every day. Well, there are two issues that I know I have to face head on, and I have not gotten any more at ease about dealing with them since I've been home than I was when I was living in Richmond. I've been HIV positive since 2005, and most of the past 10 years have gone by without complication or incident. I've been on a medication regimen of one pill a day, and more recentl...

It is what the fuck it is...

I often wonder what my dog thinks of me. Does he look at me and think how pitiful I am? Or does he see me as one of those people he just can't wait to jump up on and love all over?  I hope it's the latter but I'll never truly know. People are different. I don't understand people as a whole. As individuals, I can get to know and love them. But, as a group - mankind - I can't fuck with it! I  know... I'm crazy! I get it. I got it. But now what? What am I supposed to do? Trust my own judgment? I can't do that now, because I know that's not normal and hasn't been for quite a while. Or at least that's the message I get from the mirror the world hold's up to me. Yes. I'm angry. I know why, and at the same time I don't. I know why I think I'm angry. I know what makes me upset now. But, I would be lying if I said that I know what created such anger in me. I would be lying if I said I haven't known anger before any other real ...