Personal Narrative: My Trip To The National Museum Of African American History And Culture

Founded in 1965, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History showcases the world's largest permanent exhibit on African American culture. My visits there are always educational and profoundly moving. The museum has an incredible perspective on the past and the present journey of African Americans. At the same time, it takes us on a comprehensive journey of the African American contribution to the world. Today, I will take us on that journey and paint a vivid image of Charles H. Wright Museum.

The documentary, The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross, allows one to experience African American history through key historical sites, and interviews with living eyewitnesses such as those who fought during the well-known civil-rights movement. The documentary sheds light on the experience of African Americans, both in the past and today. The information presented in class further aids in detailing how African American history shaped the African American community in regards to support systems, crises, but most importantly, how these individuals used resiliency to overcome their trials and tribulations towards a fights for rights, freedom, and respect. During the six episodes, one will see that the road and battle to freedom for blacks in America was not linear, but rather complex and difficult- it was much like the course of a river, full of loops and turns, sometimes slow, and sometimes reversing the current of advancement. Although enslavement led to the creation of the African American people, it manifested into the multiplicity of cultural institution, beliefs, and religion and social institutions that the African American people have established- along with their strength and resiliency. From slavery, lynching’s, and the many marches and protests led by phenomenal black leaders, to the gained freedoms and the first black president in the White House, the documentary, The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross, details an engaging journey through African-American history from a perspective that thoroughly reflects the lives of African-Americans and the community in its

Over the course of this semester, I was introduced to many people, ideas, writings, and discussions that sparked my interest and enlightened me on African American history. However, I feel like this was just the beginning of my journey of learning the history of my people, as there is still so much out there to be brought to the surface. Prior to taking this course, I was always ignorant on the topic of African American history and simply made the connection to slavery. Additionally, I was unaware of other black activist, movements, and struggles that I had the chance to witness for the first time in this class. I came to a realization of how deprived of this information I was, because other historic events have been deemed more important. A quote that stuck with me throughout the course that was made by Arthur Schomburg was, “... African history and negro history, are the missing pages of world history”.

“We are not makers of history, we are made by history,” once said by Martin Luther King Junior. Black history has impacted all of our lives, regardless of our race or the color of our skin. Therefore, it is imperative that we all explore black history. In modern society, most adolescents can’t even begin to fathom what it was like to live in the 1950s as an African American. Moreover, they don’t recognize the colossal sacrifices African Americans made in order to obtain equality. Many juveniles find it difficult to wrap their heads around what life was like prior to all of these pivotal icons that paved the way for our contemporary lifestyle. Icons much like Ineria Hudnell who revolutionized academia in Florida.

My African American History Month Paper is about Sterling A.Brown’s Life. Sterling background history is that he was born Howard University where his dad was working as a slave. His mom and dad grew up at the same place and they talked about when he was little.They have a lot of kids and he was the only boy out of most of them. He was raised on a farm in Howard,Maryland during his childhood. Where he studied at is the Southern U.S to be a professor for the black culture of all black people.

Now this is when the confusion sets in because I look up and a young African American woman has slipped in the door. She then proceeds to announce that she is a student volunteer and that her name is Amani!! Everyone looked up dazed, confused and trying to figure out who this girl was. I have never met someone with my own name I’ve been introduced to Imanis (ee-mah-nee) Armanis but never another Amani. This student then calls the volunteer offices and realizes that there has been a mix up the man in charge thought that this woman was me! After learning this information I she disappeared. The judge in charge off all volunteers was momentarily distracted and as quickly as the student had come she also left never to be seen again. Thankfully,

Although each of the objects found within the image represents some of the struggles that were encountered by African-Americans, everyone that is included within the image helps us understand the perspective of those who dealt with the issue of slavery. The figure on the left is a depiction of an Irish-American who lived in New York during the 1860’s. Although the man lived in New York, he was an immigrant and therefore couldn’t make much money. This fact helps explain why he is depicted as wearing clothes that were commonly associated with the working-class. During this time, there was also a stigma against Irish-Catholics throughout the United States due to the fact that vast amounts of them immigrated to the United States following the

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is an institution that authentically depicts the journey of not only Black Americans, but the United States as a whole. From ancient beginnings in Nabta Playa to today’s influential Black innovators, this museum provides realistic recreations of both the plights and triumphs of African Americans through their “And Still We Rise” exhibit.

Over spring break I had the great privilege of going to the Nation Blacks In Wax Museum in Baltimore Maryland. The Black In Wax Museum was founded and designed to teach people the history of African Americans from the Middle Passage to current events. The Museum is one of the most dynamic and cultural institutions because not only is it solely dedicated to the preservation of African American history, but the life-like wax figure gives it its’ uniqueness and creativity.

•This course will illustrate African- American history, values, religion, politics, psychology of Africans coming to the Americas, and the development of African-American culture. Moreover AAS 100 will provide students with a sense of what the African American experience is and by doing so we talk about the American experience. This course will discuss:

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is a Smithsonian Institution and showcases African American culture and community. With thousands of artifacts on display, this informative museum explores how American values are reflected in African American culture. Hosting interactive exhibitions and informative stories, this museum will educate and enlighten all

Yale has a legendary Afro-American Cultural Center as well as a renowned African American studies program and although I do not plan to major in that area of study it is great to know that I can take classes in that program. In addition, the Yale Day of Service seemed like something I would want to be apart of because I like to serve whenever I can. Almost every weekend since the school year has started I have been picking up trash in a park and I would love to continue to serve the community at Yale.

I had been wanting to visit the Palmer Memorial Institute since Professor Porter mentioned it in class because Sedalia is not far from where I live. Today, I finally got the chance to visit. I actually enjoyed walking around this historic site more than I thought I would. The first plaque I read was on that described the origins of the Palmer Memorial Institute. The school was previously named Bethany Institute and was founded by American Missionary Association in 1870. Not too long after, in 1902, the AMA was forced to withdraw its limited financial support. Because of this, Charlotte Hawkins Brown courageously reopened the school in the fall of 1902 and renamed it the Palmer

My experience to the Dallas Museum of Art was a bit different from the last time I had attended the museum. I was curious to see what pieces of art there would be and if it would be the same as the previous visit which was long ago, but to me all the pieces of art were so different and very interesting. It may have been because I saw all the pieces in a new perspective since learning about the different types of paintings there can be and knowing how and where sculptures come from. Even though I do not know much of art I really gave it a try into seeing what the artist may have wanted us to get out of his work. By reading a view of the chapters made me aware of art, I wouldn’t call myself an expert, but it was actually nice knowing that a

The African American experience is one that is quite different from other racial/ ethnic groups. The majority of the first African American came over, unwillingly, on ships from various African countries. They were brought to America by white, European settlers to be used as slaves in an order to plant and harvest their crops and make money for the white man. This racial group was treated as if they were property and not people. However, with the ending of the American Civil War, African Americans gained freedom, freedom that not all white American were quite ready to handle. After gaining their freedom came the need for education, jobs and suffrage rights. Now in America this racial group has come a long way, having elected its first African American present for two terms, yet still there are many issues that are very prevalent. This racial group has been fighting their way to equality since the birth of this nation. African Americans have experienced an array of conflict, violence, stereotypes, prejudice acts, and discrimination against them throughout their history in America.