Exhibitions and Events
Coming Soon!
January 27, 2012 - October 14, 2012
NMAAHC Gallery at the National Museum of American History
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and Monticello will present Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty, an exhibition of artifacts from the Smithsonian’s collections and from excavations at Jefferson’s Virginia plantation.
Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence and called slavery an “abominable crime,” yet he was a lifelong slaveholder. The exhibition will provide a look at the lives of six slave families living at Monticello alongside Jefferson and his family. Personal belongings and working tools will be on display, and visitors will have a chance to learn about the families’ connections to one another, their religious faith and their efforts to pursue literacy and freedom.
Please visit the exhibition website, slaveryatmonticello.org to learn more.
Public Programs
Check back soon for information on our upcoming public programs.
Mission Preservation: Classroom Treasures Program
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture is pleased to offer free in-school programs for grades 4 – 6 in the local DC Metro area, which includes DC, Fairfax County, Arlington County, Alexandria, Prince Georges County, and Montgomery County. In this 70-minute program, Museum Teachers will conduct object-based, standards-related programming that will focus on learning from primary resources and preserving family oral histories and objects. For more information on the program, click here.
Want the museum to come to your school? Register your class today!
The Civil Rights History Project
In October 2010 NMAAHC began interviewing people who were involved in the Civil Rights Movement as foot soldiers, leaders and supporters. The Civil Rights History Project will become one of the outstanding national records of the Movement and these first-person narratives will be shared with generations of future Americans.
We are saddened by the passing of U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Perry, interviewed on June 7, 2011 for the Civil Rights History Project.
Perry as the young, inexperienced black lawyer who soon learned how to outmaneuver a racist municipal judge by using the appeal process:Please watch more excerpts from the Judge Matthew Perry interviews on our Youtube channel:
Perry as the attorney for Sarah Fleming, whose SC case preceded the Rosa Parks case.
Perry as a World War II soldier who encountered segregation in a public facility where Italian POWs were treated as special guests, while Perry was treated as a second-class citizen.
Join Now and Contribute!
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Memory Book
Tell us your history, share a family photograph, and connect with others by contributing to the museum’s Memory Book.
StoryCorps Griot Project
Listen to tales of inspiration, dignity and family captured during our collaboration with StoryCorps.
News and Updates
The staff of the NMAAHC wishes to express our heartfelt condolences over the passing of Don Cornelius, the legendary producer, host and founder of the longstanding musical variety show "Soul Train." Mr. Cornelius was a pioneering force and a true visionary in the world of televised media, bridging cultural gaps with the power of music and dance and spreading the music of black America to homes and neighborhoods across the nation and globe. His influential work to promote African American musical ingenuity as the soundtrack for all Americans reached past the confines of race and reflects the vision of this museum to be an institution dedicated to the goals of diversity and cultural collaboration. We here at the NMAAHC pledge to continue this legacy as we salute the life and career of Don Cornelius.
Please see the obituary of Mr. Cornelius in the New York Times for more information on his accomplishments and legacy: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/arts/music/don-cornelius-soul-train-creator-is-dead-at-75.html.
The Tuskegee Airmen Stearman bi-plane is on its way into our collection! Visit NMAAHC’s “Spirit of Tuskegee” Tumblr for updates, photos, articles and much more on the exciting cross-country journey of Captain Quy as he flies the plane to Washington, DC.
On June 6th, 2011 Fox 5 Morning News interviewed Kinshasha Holman Conwill and Tony Cornelius, son of Don Cornelius, on the announcement of NMAAHC's Soul Train acquisition! To view the interview
please click here...
On May 3rd, 2011 the NMAAHC was featured in a front page Washington Post article entitled, “Smithsonian acquires Parliament-Funkadelic Mothership”. The article highlighted P-Funk’s lead man, George Clinton, his reasons for donating to the Smithsonian’s newest museum and the impact of the iconic stage prop in the NMAAHC’s collection efforts.
“A Design of its Time” The latest revisions to the design of NMAAHC’s building were presented to the National Capital Planning Commission – and won unanimous approval. The image above features a view of the Refined Pavilion Alternative showing the three tiered Corona from the south side entrance. (Image courtesy Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup). Read the Washington Post report for more on this milestone moment for the Museum.
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