There was great anticipation when The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture officially opened its doors a year ago.
The nation looked on as the 99-year old daughter of a slave rang the opening bell, while the first African-American president and First Lady, Barack and Michelle Obama, stood at her side. This historic visual was a moment for many to finally recognize the important value of history and its permanence and resonance to the present.
Located on the National Mall in the nation’s capital, the NMAAHC encapsulates the powerful narrative of African-Americans and their significant journey to and within the United States.
Appropriately known as “A People’s Journey: A Nation’s Story”, NMAAHC takes up 400,000 square feet and has seven levels. In its first year, the museum has set new records for the average length of visits, which is four to six hours, and has the largest number of museum charter members.
“What’s clear is that the museum has struck a nerve,” said Dr. Lonnie Bunch, the director of NMAAHC. “It’s become an important symbol, an important metaphor, an important pilgrimage site. We’re quite humbled by the way the public and the critical public has embraced the museum.”
As the 19th member of the Smithsonian Institution, the NMAAHC has attracted more than 2.1 million visitors and has 36,000 artifacts, where only 10 percent are currently on display, said Dr. Leslie Fenwick, dean emerita and professor of the Howard University School of Education. Fenwick is also a member of the NMAAHC Scholarly Advisory Committee, founded by the late historian, Dr. John Hope Franklin.
The museum’s exhibits tell many stories of African-American history, with much focus on education. Shedding light on African-American history in academia reveals how the founding of historically Black colleges and universities initiated great change, including solutions to freedom, even as Blacks fought against a socially oppressive agenda.
