Watching Oprah
The Oprah Winfrey Show and American Culture
Our new special exhibition uses the story of Oprah Winfrey and her phenomenally successful daytime television talk show as a lens through which to explore contemporary American history and culture. Opens June 8, 2018, Follow #WatchingOprah for more!
Press: Use the following links to view images of objects in the exhibition and photographs from Harpo Studios, exhibition b-roll, and our media kit.
From Sit-Ins to Wade-Ins
From lunch counters to bus boycotts, the African American fight for integration and equality touched every aspect of life. What you may not be familiar with is the Civil Rights struggle to integrate America’s pools and beaches.
Journey with us as we explore the struggle for summer leisure, and the bravery that secured your right to a day in the sand. Video from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Narrated by Sterling K. Brown.
Explore all the videos in our #APeoplesJourney YouTube series!
Powerful moments in African American
history, culture, and community.
Collection Stories
The Woman with the Violin
Violinist Ginger Smock was a critical figure in the development of the Los Angeles jazz scene and a trailblazing leader for female musicians in the male-dominated music industry of the 1940s and 1950s.
Seeing Black Women in Power
Photography and art of black women in the 1960s and 1970s created a new space of recognition, making clear the necessity of black women’s voices to movements for equality.
Frances Albrier
Frances Albrier was a leader in the American struggle for civil, labor, and human rights. Her collection brings into focus the role of west coast activists in the mid-twentieth century.
Carlotta Walls LaNier's Dress
In 1957, Carlotta Walls and six other African American students took on the difficult, dangerous task of integrating Little Rock Central High School. This dress tells the story of "Little Rock Nine" and the fight for a quality education for all Americans.
Black Panther’s hero costume is coming! The Museum has acquired several objects from the record-breaking film, including the hero costume worn by actor Chadwick Boseman.
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The African American experience is the lens through which we understand what it is to be an American.
Lonnie G. Bunch III Founding Director, NMAAHC
