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Smithsonian Museum Of African American History And Culture

Dusable Black History Museum And Education Center

From Slave Ships to Black Lives Matter – Session 1
DuSable Museum of African American History

Location within the Chicago metropolitan area.
Established
www.dusablemuseum.org

The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center in Chicago is dedicated to the study and conservation of black history, culture, and art. It was founded in 1961 by , her husband Charles Burroughs, Gerard Lew, Eugene Feldman, Bernard Goss, , and others. They established the museum to celebrate black culture, at the time overlooked by most museums and academic establishments. The museum has an affiliation with the Smithsonian Institution.

Where And What Is The Smithsonian National Museum Of African American History

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is located at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW on the National Mall. The four-level museum opened on Sept. 24, 2016, becoming the only national museum solely dedicated to the documentation of African American life, history and culture. This Smithsonian Institution museum is an architectural marvel that features numerous interactive exhibits.

The museum is currently open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. 4 p.m. The easiest way to get there is via Metrorail or the DC Circulator. The closest Metro stop is Federal Triangle on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines. The DC Circulators National Mall route is your best bus option, and it will be easy to continue your exploration of the National Mall afterwards. The facility is handicap-accessible.

Whats Inside The Museum

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is a state-of-the-art building that addresses nearly every aspect of the African American experience, covering the arts, slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, athletics and much more. The buildings exterior, conceived by Ghanaian-born architect David Adjaye, is artfully made up of a three-tiered, bronze-colored screen. This lattice pays tribute to the intricate ironwork forged by enslaved African Americans in the southern United States.

The museums collection of artifacts is astounding: 3,500 are on view, with another 35,000 or so in the collection. Standout items include a shawl given to Harriet Tubman by Queen Victoria, training aircraft used by the Tuskegee Institute, an invitation to President Obamas 2009 inauguration and a boombox owned by Chuck D of Public Enemy.

Navigating the entirety of the NMAAHC would be very difficult to accomplish in one visit, and the breadth of its exhibits is astonishing. However, there are several displays that you should be aware of before you go.

The Musical Crossroads exhibit details the history African American music, from the arrival of the first Africans to today. From jazz to hip-hop, African American musicians brought forth new forms of expression that lit a candle for liberty, justice and change. You will be able to experience the emergence of some of Americas finest art forms and the amazing creative expressions that came from them.

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Museum Delayed Opening And Closing

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delayed opening or closing of the museum on the scheduled day of your visit. We want to make it easy for you to reschedule your visit. Please use the option that best applies to you.

  • If the museum was delayed in opening and you were scheduled to enter the museum during the delay, then you may enter the museum anytime after we open that day until closing.
  • If you cannot visit the museum today, you can use this same timed-entry pass to visit on another day. All you need to do is bring your original time entry pass. The pass is valid through December 31, 2022, with the exception of the dates listed below.

Review: The Smithsonian African American Museum Is Here At Last And It Uplifts And Upsets

Reflecting on the first National Museum of African American History and ...
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By Holland Cotter

WASHINGTON On a late summer day in 1963, 200,000 Americans made the Washington Monument the compass needle for a new direction in history, up and forward, when they gathered at its base, then marched a mile or so on to hear the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preach sing, really a sermon on racism and a dream of change.

On an early autumn day this Saturday, just yards from the monument, the compass itself will, symbolically speaking, become fully visible, when the National Museum of African American History and Culture opens to the public. To paraphrase the preacher: Its here at last, here at last. And its more than just impressive. Its a data-packed, engrossing, mood-swinging must-see.

Rising in three low, inverted-pyramid tiers, the building occupies what had been the last undeveloped museum site on the National Mall. Its design, by the Tanzanian-born British architect David Adjaye, is unlike any of the others. They are of white or buff stone or concrete this one, covered in metal panels, is a deep black-brown. The other museums reflect light this one absorbs it, making it look, despite its size, discreet and recessive, about silhouette rather than bulk.

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The National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in 2016 as the nineteenth branch of the Smithsonian Institution.

In partnership with the Louisiana Architecture Foundation, NOMA will screen the 2017 documentary The Black Museum on June 14 at 7 pm as part of Friday Nights at NOMA programming and a sneak preview of of the 2019 Architecture & Design Film Festival. A panel discussion will following the screening.

The Black Museum, directed by Oliver Hardt, takes viewers on a journey through the spectacular National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., the nineteenth and newest addition to the Smithsonian complex of museums on the National Mall. Through 100,000 square feet of exhibition space spread across eight levels, the museum explores Americas history and culture through the lens of the African American experience. Interviews with the projects key figures provide detailed insight into the challenges and conflicts during the formative stage of the museum and its overwhelming success during the first year of operation.

Here are five facts about the museum to consider in advance of watching the documentary.

When the museum was authorized by Congress in 2003, it had no collection. After years of work to populate its archives, the museum has collected more than 36,000 artifacts and has nearly 100,000 charter members.

Learn How Adjaye Associates Built Their Crowning Achievement

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The Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture is situated on the last five acres of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., once the epicenter of the nations slave trade, on a prominent site just across from the Washington Monument.

The museum was designed by Adjaye Associates, one of the worlds leading Black-owned architecture practices, in collaboration with The Freelon Group, Davis Brody Bond LLP and SmithGroupJJR. Their competition-winning proposal, which they dubbed Corona after an African word for crown, features an intricately detailed, bronze-colored façade that is steeped in references to the struggles and achievements of African Americans.

The inspiration for the tiered exterior came from one of the sculptures in the museums collection, a 7-foot-tall depiction of a crowned figure that was carved by late African artist Olowe of Ise. It is a building with many narratives relating to the context, the history and the program, David Adjaye, founder of Adjaye Associates, told Architizer. This narrative is articulated immediately by the silhouette borrowing from the form of a Yoruba sculpture while also resonating with the angle of the Washington Monument.

Image by Freelon Adjaye Bond / SmithGroup.

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The National Museum Of African American History And Culture

  • The National Museum of African American History and Culture
  • October 11, 2016

    Established by an Act of Congress on December 16, 2003, after decades of proposals to create a national museum dedicated to African American History and Culture, the museum opened its doors to the public September 24, 2016.

    The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. It was established by Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans. To date, the Museum has collected more than 36,000 artifacts and nearly 100,000 individuals have become charter members. The Museum opened to the public on September 24, 2016, as the 19th and newest museum of the Smithsonian Institution. NMAAHC website

    • LEGISLATIVE HISTORY–H.R. 3491 :
    • CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 149 :

    115 Stat. 1009 – National Museum of African American History and Culture Plan for Action Presidential Commission Act of 2001

    • CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 147 :

    20 U.S.C. 80r-6 – Building for the National Museum of African American History and Culture

    Smithsonian National Museum Of African American History And Culture

    Lessons in Leadership Featuring Lonnie G. Bunch III

    Washington DC, USA

    • 39,019 m² / 420,000 ft²
    • Category
    • Guy Nordeson and Associates, Robert Silman Associates
    • Security Consultants
    • – Institute Honour Award for Architecture, American Institute of Architects , 2019- Interiors Awards, Civic/Public, Contract Magazine, 2018- Best in Competition, AIANY Design Awards, 2018- Gold Winner, Good Design Award, 2018- Design of the Year, Beazley, 2017- Cultural Event of the Year – New York Times, 2017- Best Cultural Institution, Surface Travel Award, 2017- Award for Excellence in Architecture, AIA|DC Chapter Awards, 2017

    Technical Info +

    The NMAAHC illustrates how museums can offer a specific narrative alongside a universal message. The African American story is about one culture having empathy with another. The hope is that the museum will offer an open exploration of history, culture and society thereby addressing profound aspects of the human condition and the positive value inherent in creating a forum for multiple interpretations of Americas history and demography however uncomfortable those may be.- David Adjaye

    At 50m deep, the setback is similar to other buildings on the north side of the Mall. The underside of the porch roof is tilted upward, reflecting the moving water below. This covered area creates a microclimate where breezes combine with the cooling waters to generate a place of refuge from the hot summer sun. There is also an outdoor patio that is accessed from the fifth floor of the building.

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    Funding From Walmart Will Benefit Key Programs At The Museum Including Educational Initiatives Visitor Services Exhibitions And More

    BENTONVILLE, Ark., Jan. 27, 2020 Walmart announced today a $5 million grant to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Walmarts support of NMAAHC is a part of the companys continued commitment to advance causes that promote diversity and inclusion.

    The National Museum of African American History and Culture is a vital institution, deepening everyones understanding of our nations history through the lens of the African American experience. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have a long history of supporting diversity and inclusion, and we are pleased to support the museum as they continue to build out programs to advance their mission.

    Since opening in 2016, NMAAHC, the 19th Smithsonian Institution Museum, has welcomed more than 7 million visitors who have explored the exhibits and more than 3,000 artifacts on display. It is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history and culture, and is a public institution open to all, where anyone is welcome to participate, collaborate, and learn more about African American history and culture. Later today, Walmart will host a private event to celebrate the museums contributions and acknowledge the critical role the Congressional Black Caucus played in helping to make the museum a reality.

    For more information on Walmarts commitment to diversity, inclusion and philanthropy, please visit Walmart.org.

    Smithsonian Names Kevin Young As Director Of The National Museum Of African American History And Culture

    Kevin Young, director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City, will become the new director of the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture, effective Jan. 11, 2021. He succeeds the founding director, Lonnie G. Bunch III, who is now the Secretary of the Smithsonian.

    Young is best known as a poet, author, essayist and editor. He has written 11 books of poetry, two works of nonfiction and is the editor of 10 other works including a new book coming out this fall, African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle and Song. He has been the director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, a research division of the New York Public Library, since 2016 and is also currently the poetry editor at The New Yorker magazine. Founded in 1925 and named a national historic landmark, the Schomburg Center is a focal point of Harlems cultural life with extensive collections of art and artifacts, reference works, rare books and archives, photography and recordings.

    Kevin will bring an exciting mix of scholarship, technological savvy and bold vision that builds on the foundational work of the many people who built the museum, Bunch said. As a poet, he understands how the museum fulfilled the dreams of many Americans, and under his leadership the museum will shape the hopes of future generations.

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    Building Layout And Inaugural Exhibitions

    Located at the corner of 15th Street N.W. and Constitution Avenue, the museum includes exhibition galleries, an education center, a theater, an auditorium, a café, a store and offices. The museums inaugural exhibitions focus on broad themes of history, culture and community. These exhibitions have been conceived to help transform visitors understanding of American history and culture and to help visitors adapt to and participate in changing definitions of American citizenship, liberty and equality. The exhibitions employ a range of interpretive and experiential strategies.

    Fifth floor

    Culture Galleries: Musical Crossroads, Cultural Expressions, Visual Art and the American Experience, Taking the Stage

    Third floor

    Community Galleries: Power of Place, Making a Way Out of No Way, Sports: Leveling the Playing Field, Double Victory: The African American Military Experience

    Second floor

    The Robert Frederick Smith Explore Your History Family Center, Education Classrooms, Earl W. and Amanda Stafford Center for African American Media Arts, Digital Learning Interactives

    First floor

    Heritage Hall, welcome center, Corona Pavilion, store

    Concourse 0

    Atrium, Contemplative Court, Oprah Winfrey Theater, A Century in the Making, Special Exhibitions Gallery, Sweet Home Café

    Concourse 1

    History GalleryA Changing America: 1968 and Beyond

    Concourse 2

    History GalleryDefending Freedom, Defining Freedom: Era of Segregation 18761968

    Concourse 3

    Black Music’s Global Influence

    The Smithsonians Black

    The genres of Jazz and Hip-Hop spread around the world. These genres traveled to Africa and Asia and influenced other genres of African and Asian Music. The textural styles, slang language and influenced American pop culture and global culture. The way African-Americans dress in hip-hop videos and how African-Americans talk is copied for style and profit in the American market and the global market. Blues, jazz, and hip-hop were created in African-American neighborhoods despite African-Americans are marginalized in American society on an economic and social level, the music created by African-Americans had a global impact due to marketing and media.

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    The African American History And Culture Museum Wins Gold For Going Green

    How the Smithsonians newest museum set the bar for sustainability in architecture

    Correspondent

    Ever since its grand opening in September of 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has stood as a gleaming bulwark of a vital part of Americas national story. No mere receptacle for artifacts, the building itself teems with historical resonances. Its bronze-hued corona echoes traditional Nigerian designs, the transparent walls of its entry level set it in conversation with the nearby Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, and the wending ramp of its lower floors reflects the unsteady path of progress throughout history.

    With all these allusions to pick apart, it can be easy to miss another striking element of the museum: its emphasis on eco-friendliness. Subtly and in many cases quite cleverly, the design of the museum avoids resource waste without diminishing the visitor experience or imperiling its artifacts. Making an environmentally conscious building required commitment from the outset, and now that commitment has paid off: on April 16, the African American History Museum was officially awarded a Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Councils Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. In the architecture business, this type of recognition is tantamount to an eco-Oscar.

    Smithsonian National Museum Of African American History And Culturewashington United States

    The National Museum of African American History and Culture is a museum that seeks to understand American history through the lens of the African American experience. The only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture, it was established by Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans. To date, the Museum has collected more than 37,000 objects and nearly 100,000 individuals have become charter members. The Museum opened to the public on September 24, 2016, as the 19th and newest museum of the Smithsonian Institution.The Museum is a public institution open to all, where anyone is welcome to participate, collaborate, and learn more about African American history and culture. In the words of Lonnie G. Bunch III, founding director of the Museum, there are few things as powerful and as important as a people, as a nation that is steeped in its history.

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