While many people visit an archive to delve into the past, the people working within them often spend just as much time thinking about the future. Archivists grapple with questions like ‘how can these records be available in 100 years? In 500?’ every day. And, once in a while, we get to celebrate new beginnings as well as moments past.
 |
| National Museum of African American History and Culture in Spring 2016, by Michael Barnes, ID#2016-01480. |
The Smithsonian Institution Archives just had once such chance with the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. As we followed the news articles and press releases looking forward to the new museum along with everyone else, we also took a look what we could contribute to the celebrations.
 |
| National Museum of African American History and Culture Webpage, Smithsonian Institution Archives |
First and foremost, we documented the history of this new museum as it joins the ranks of Smithsonian buildings. The Smithsonian Institution Archives website features a history page for each of the Smithsonian museum buildings, and National Museum of African American History and Culture is no exception. While the building is just opening, the museum has been hard at work for years creating public programs, exhibits, and documenting American history. In pulling together this webpage, it is clear that, though the building is just opening, the museum has been creating dynamic programming and engaging exhibits for years. Programs like Save our African American Treasures gave communities and families resources for preserving their own treasures, doing the important work of documenting local history. Beginning with Let Your Motto Be Resistance, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has been creating exhibits in partnership with other Smithsonian museums. Documenting these projects, we are looking forward to the many new initiatives they will inspire, while tracing the steps that brought the dream of this museum to reality.
 |
| African American Smithsonian Staff featured in African American Contributions to the Smithsonian. Clockwise from bottom left: Lonnie Bunch, Solomon Brown, Jeannine Smith Clark, and Michael Barnes. Negative numbers SIA2011-0114, SIA2015-0026, SIA2016-0114, and NHB2011-01149. |
We also looked for where our own mission and collections reflected the goals and mission of the National Museum of African American History and Culture and built a project celebrating both. As the institutional archives of the Smithsonian, charged with documenting and preserving the history of the museums and their staff, we explored African American contributions to the Smithsonian over the years through oral history interviews and a website. African Americans were among our earliest employees and have been a consistent presence throughout our history, making critical, substantive contributions despite the challenges they faced. From Solomon Brown to National Museum of African American History and Culture Director Lonnie Bunch, we explored our holdings highlighting the stories from our past that will hopefully contribute to a bright future for our newest museum.
Check out the web exhibit to learn more: African American Contributions to the Smithsonian
Lisa Fthenakis, Program Assistant
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment