NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE

Lieutenant Henry Samuel Hawker R.N., The Portuguese slaver Diligenté captured by H. M. Sloop Pearl with 600 slaves on board, taken in charge to Nassau May 1838 (detail), 1838, watercolor on paper.

1400 Constitution Avenue, NW (between Washington Monument and National Museum of American History). Mall entrance: between 14th and 15th Streets, NW. Open daily from 10 A.M. – 5:30 P.M. Closed December 25. Metrorail: Federal Triangle or Smithsonian station. Smithsonian information: 202-633-1000 Museum information: 202-633-4751. nmaahc.si.edu

Vest worn by Jimi Hendrix, 1960s. Velvet, braid, plastic, and metal.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) was established by an act of Congress in 2003 that made it the 19th museum of the Smithsonian Institution. The museum is a place where all Americans can learn about the richness and diversity of the African American experience, what it means to their lives, and how it helped shape this nation. Scheduled for completion in the fall of 2016, it sits on five acres on Constitution Avenue between 14th and 15th Streets, NW.

During the construction phase, the museum has produced publications, hosted public programs, and built its collections. It has also presented exhibitions at museums across the country and in its own gallery on the second floor of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

A PLACE FOR US ALL

The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) presents a view of America through the lens of African American history and culture in a setting that transcends the boundaries of race and culture. The museum focuses on the story that unites us all. Exhibitions have been conceived to help transform visitors’ understanding of American history and culture and adapt to and participate in changing definitions of American citizenship, liberty, and equality. Exhibitions employ a range of interpretive and experiential strategies in exploring three major themes: history, culture, and community. An array of interactive programs and educational resources is available on the museum’s Web site, nmaahc.si.edu.

THE BUILDING

The architecture of the museum is derived from the classical tripartite column (base, shaft, and capital). In Yoruban art and architecture, the column, or wooden post, is traditionally crafted with a three-tiered capital. This corona form is the central idea behind the design of the museum: reaching toward the sky, it expresses faith, hope, and resiliency. Inside, a series of windows frame specific views of the city. The framed perspectives remind us that the museum presents a view of America as seen through the lens of African American history and culture.

Railroad passenger car from the Jim Crow era, Southern Railway No. 1200, 1922. Steel and glass. Pullman Palace Car Co. Gift of Pete Claussen and Gulf and Ohio Railways.

Tuskegee Airman flight jacket worn by Lieutenant Colonel Woodrow W. Crockett, 1942. Manufactured by Aero Leather Clothing Co. Leather, cloth, metal, paint. Gift of Lt. Col. Woodrow W. Crockett.

HISTORY

Three of the four public floors belowground house the History galleries.

The “Slavery and Freedom” exhibition tells a story not only of people but also of an economic engine that transformed America. It illustrates the inextricable link between freedom and enslavement in America, up to the Reconstruction.

“Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: Era of Segregation 1966–1968” focuses on the period from post-Reconstruction through the aftermath of the Civil Rights Act of 1968. It looks closely at the various permutations of tragic violence fundamental to segregation.

Boxing headgear worn by Muhammad Ali, ca. 1973. Created by Everlast Worldwide, Inc. Leather, padding, cloth, and metal.

“A Changing America: 1968 and Beyond” is an exhibition that continues the historical chronology to the present and prompts visitors to think about how their lives are affected by the African American struggle for freedom and how it might inspire them to action.

CULTURE

Aboveground, two floors (3rd and 4th) showcase the Community and Culture galleries.

The large “Musical Crossroads” exhibition promises to be an exciting, dynamic investigation and celebration of African American music. Part show, part interactive, and part exhibit, the gallery looks at music’s vital role in freedom struggles—from the plantation to civil rights marches, from the dance floor and recording studio to the airwaves—in a way that will have visitors tuning in and even dancing. The gallery provides an opportunity for audiences to explore the entire African American experience.

Boombox carried by Radio Raheem in the film Do the Right Thing, 1989. Manufactured by Tecsonic, signed by Spike Lee, owned by Gene Siskel. Plastic, metal, wire, cloth, pressure-sensitive tape, and ink.

The “Cultural Expressions” exhibition marks the contributions of African Americans in cultural expressions including fashion, food, artistry, and language.

The Visual Arts Gallery showcases a portion of the museum’s permanent collection of visual arts, which includes paintings, sculptures, and works on paper. The gallery provides a changing space for exhibitions of work in all mediums.

The Earl W. and Amanda Stafford Center for African American Media Arts on the second floor presents a rotating display of imagery from the museum’s one-of-a-kind photography and visual media collection and affords visitors the means to explore the collection digitally.

TAKING THE STAGE

This exhibition explores the history of African Americans in theater, film, and television to celebrate their creative achievements, demonstrate their cultural impact, and illuminate their struggles for equal representation on the stage of American entertainment. Visitors see how African Americans transformed the ways they are represented onstage by challenging racial discrimination and stereotypes and striving to produce more positive, authentic, and diverse images of African American identity and experience. Together these stories suggest how African American performing artists also paved the way for broader social change. Stories include Paul Robeson’s role in Othello, Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf, and the Black Stuntmen’s Assocation in Hollywood.

Poster for Mattie Wilkes performance at Holliday Street Theater, 1899–1905. Produced by H. C. Miner Lithographing Company. Ink on paper.

COMMUNITY

The “Power of Place” exhibition interprets the range of African American experiences in the country by looking at regionalism. Visitors are able to investigate different places and eras at a time. The gallery emphasizes that the African American experience is not just one story—but is a composite of stories from across the nation.

The Sports Gallery celebrates how African Americans have changed sports in our nation, and it delves into the role sports has played in helping people survive and change life in America.

MAKING A WAY OUT OF NO WAY

The stories in this exhibition show the ways in which African Americans created possibilities in a world that denied them opportunities. The stories reflect the perseverance, resourcefulness, and resilience required by African Americans to survive and thrive in America.

The Mothership, 1990s reconstruction after 1970s original. Designed by Jules Fisher and George Clinton; used by Parliament-Funkadelic. Metal, plastic, glass. Gift of Love to the Planet.

French Croix de Guerre medal received by Lawrence McVey, 369th Infantry Regiment, United States Army, 1918. Issued by French Republic, designed by Paul-Albert Bartholome. Bronze and ribbon.

MILITARY HISTORY GALLERY

The military gallery exhibition conveys a sense of appreciation and respect for the military service of African Americans from the American Revolution to the current war on terrorism. It establishes an understanding that the African American military experience shapes opportunities for the greater community and has profoundly shaped the nation. The exhibition helps visitors understand the African American military experience in three areas: “Struggle for Freedom” focusing on the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War; “Segregated Military,” about the Indian Wars, Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II; and “Stirrings of Change to a Colorblind Military,” examining the Korean and Vietnam wars and today’s war on terrorism. Artifacts include Civil War badges, weapons, and photographs, Flag of the 9th Regiment US Colored Volunteers, a World War I Croix de Guerre medal awarded to US soldier Lawrence McVey, and various Tuskegee Airmen materials.

NAACP Spingarn Medal awarded to Major Charles Young, 1916. Created by National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, issued by Joel Elias Spingarn. Gold.

CENTRAL HALL

The grand central hall, the main entrance of the museum on Constitution Avenue, welcomes visitors, creates a sense of awe, and awakens visitors to the museum experience.

SUPPLEMENTAL GALLERIES

The Youth Gallery accommodates children of all ages and their families. Here, presentations address and interpret the same major themes explored throughout the museum but in ways that especially engage a young audience. The Youth Gallery encourages all visitors to think about who they are and how they can make a difference.

The Changing Gallery accommodates dynamic traveling shows.

Costume gown for Glinda the Good Witch in The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical “Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” worn by Dee Dee Bridgewater, 1975. Designed by Geoffrey Holder, created by Grace Costumes Inc. Synthetic fiber and chiffon. Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane.

GET INVOLVED

Excitement continues to grow around the creation of the new National Museum of African American History and Culture. We have a lot to accomplish. If you have the time, interest, and energy to help, check out opportunities to do so at nmaahc.si.edu.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Located at the corner of 15th Street N.W. and Constitution Avenue, the museum includes exhibition galleries, an education center, theater, auditorium, café, store and offices. Visitors will enter the museum through the grand Porch at south (National Mall) side of the building, while a secondary entrance is provided on the north (Constitution Avenue) side.

As visitors move through the exhibitions, a series of openings frame views of the Washington Monument, the White House and other Smithsonian museums along the Mall. These openings or “lenses” offer respite and pause at selected moments along the exhibition experience. The framed perspectives serve as a reminder that the museum presents a view of America through the lens of African American history and culture.

The Contemplative Court provides a water-and light-filled memorial area that offers visitors a quiet space for reflection. A raised overhead oculus (circular window) allows light to enter the space.

One of the largest spaces in the museum, the 350-seat Oprah Winfrey Theater will be a forum in the nation’s capital for performers, artists, educators, scholars, authors, musicians, filmmakers and opinion leaders. The theater’s programs will enable audiences to gain a broader understanding of how African American history and culture shape and enrich the country and the world.