Smithsonian’s New National Museum of African American History and Culture Proudly Supported in Part By Disney

With the recent opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture opened to the public, and The Walt Disney Company was on hand to join the magical opening celebrations.

 

 

This visually stunning and imposing appearance, the museum assumes a prominent place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and is the 19th museum of the Smithsonian family. Covering 400,000 square feet, the site is the only national museum devoted exclusively to documenting African American history and culture. From exhibitions, interactive learning platforms and other programming, visitors will hear, see and experience a story that is quintessentially American.

With Disney’s Disney $3 million donation, part of which helped construct the facility’s outdoor reading grove. What is truly special about this museum is the informal space allows guests to gather and experiences different perspectives. In addition, benches in the reading grove offer guests views of the Washington Monument.

 

(From L-R: Tendo Nagenda, executive vice president, Production, The Walt Disney Studios, and Disney’s Queen of Katwe stars Lupita Nyong’o and David Oyelowo attend the National Museum of African American History and Culture Gala. Photo credit: @lupitanyongo)

ABC will also broadcast the two-hour ceremony during the 2016-17 season. “ABC is thrilled to celebrate the opening of this important new addition to the Smithsonian Institution and to help share the story of the struggles, contributions, and triumphs of African Americans throughout the history of our country,” said Channing Dungey, president ABC Entertainment.

Here is an example  of what will be featured in the Museum Courtesy of the “The State News Paper”
The museum is building a collection designed to illustrate the major periods of African American history, beginning with the origins in Africa and continuing through slavery, reconstruction, the civil rights era, the Harlem Renaissance and into the 21st century. The museum will open Sept. 24.

Slave Cabin, c. early 1800s: A weatherboard-clad cabin used during slavery at Point of Pines Plantation on Edisto Island, S.C. Gift of the Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society

Segregation-era Southern Railway car, No. 1200, c. 1920: A 44-seat segregated passenger car that serviced routes in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. Gift of Pete Claussen and Gulf and Ohio Railways

Tuskegee Airplane, Boeing-Stearman PT-13D Kaydet, c. 1944: A vintage, open-cockpit biplane that was used at Alabama’s renowned Tuskegee Institute to train African American pilots for Army Air Corps service during World War II.

Angola Prison Guard Tower, c. 1930–1940s: A 20-foot-tall tower used by prison guards to watch prisoners at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, one of the largest maximum-security prisons in the nation. Gift of Louisiana State Penitentiary

 

Jones-Hall-Sims House, c. 1874: Log house from Poolesville, Md., that was built and inhabited by free slaves after the Civil War. Gift of Bradley and Shannon Rhoderick

Chuck Berry’s Cadillac, c. 1973: The car is part of Berry’s personal fleet of Cadillacs and was driven during the filming of Hail! Hail! Rock ’n’ Roll, a 1987 documentary that chronicles two 1986 concerts. Gift of Chuck Berry

The Parliament-Funkadelic Mothership, c. 1990: The 1,200-pound aluminum stage prop used at funk-musician George Clinton’s concerts. Gift of Love to the planet

Soul Train Neon Sign, c. 1993: Neon sign used on the Soul Train TV show, 1993–2006. Gift of Soul Train Holdings LLC

Sam Cooke Banner, c. 1964: Large banner advertising Sam Cooke used in Atlantic City, N.J. Gift of Vicki Gold Levi

Minton’s Playhouse Sign, c. 1984: Historic neon sign from Minton’s Playhouse, a jazz club located in Harlem, N.Y. Gift of Harlem Community Development Corp.

Other notable items at the museum

Harriet Tubman collection, including her hymnal (c. 1876); lace shawl (c. 1897), given to her by Queen Victoria; and family photographs from her funeral

Emmett Till’s casket (c. 1955)—the glass-topped coffin that held the body of 14-year-old Emmett Till whose murder in Mississippi helped galvanize the civil rights movement

Works of art by Charles Alston, John Biggers, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence, Lorna Simpson, Romare Bearden, Archibald John Motley Jr., Henry O. Tanner and Frederick C. Flemister.

This Smithsonian Museum will surely live up to the expectations of all who visit her. Disney seems to always have a magical hand in all of its Charitable Contributions and this is no exception.

I cannot wait to experience this Museum first hand as there is such a great amount of history her.

Have you been to this Museum yet? What are your thoughts?