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Get on the Trail: Visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture

BY ONEIKA RAYMOND

My visit to two of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail’s most important sites: the MLK Jr. Memorial, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of U.S. Civil Rights Trail. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’ve become reflective about my identity as a black woman who lives in the U.S.  I think about the privileges I have, all the African-descended people before me who fought so I could have these privileges, and about the legacy I can leave in order to make life better for those who’ll come after me.

 

This is why I was elated when I got approached to raise awareness about the new U.S. Civil Rights Trail, a collection of over 100 churches, courthouses, schools, museums, and other landmarks across 14 states that played a pivotal role in advancing the Civil Rights Movement.  Last month I wrote a blog post with information about the trail (which you can find here), and discussed why a visit to some of its stops would make an excellent road trip stateside.

 

Discovering the U.S. Civil Rights Trail in Washington, D.C.

“What happened here changed the world.” While the majority of the trail’s destinations are located in the southern U.S., a handful of them are found in Washington, D.C. Now, I know that most people don’t tend to think of the northeast when they think of Civil Rights Movement, but as it turns out, the nation’s capital is central to it.  After all, among other things, the United States Supreme Court building was where the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case was tried, and the National Mall was where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.

 

I myself had the chance to visit three other stops in the area: the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and The National Museum of African American History and Culture. The NMAAHC was my personal fave and, if you’ve heard any of the buzz surrounding its recent opening, it’s probably not too difficult to imagine why: not only is it the first and only national museum dedicated entirely to the African-American experience, it’s exquisite from top to bottom.

Visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture

 

Why did I enjoy my visit to the NMAAHC so much?  Well, it’s a complete journey through African American history, struggle, and triumph, and as a black person I feel it tries to tell the story of my people in a studied, multidimensional way that’s never been done before.  

 

I’m typically not a huge fan of museums: I find the way they present information boring and a tad derivative.  But the NMAAHC captivated me as soon as I walked in, from the subject matter, to the visuals and the music.  

 

Powerful artifacts from revolutionary figures in black history like Rosa Park’s dress, Harriet Tubman’s shawl, and Emmitt Till’s coffin are painful, but necessary– there’s a sobering reminder of where we’ve been, but also how far we have come.

 

The museum is comprised of five floors, with each one dedicated to an important facet and/or era in the African American experience. But as I’ve mentioned above, this didn’t feel like a typical museum to me: the cultural artefacts and overall presentation made it not only an educational, but an emotional experience… One that everyone should have.

 

Civil Rights are Human Rights

 

No matter your race, colour, creed, nationality or political beliefs, Civil Rights is a conversation that’s just as important today as it was 50 years ago, and the the U.S. Civil Rights Trail allows us to continue this conversation while also giving us the opportunity to explore more of the United States.  For this reason I implore you to check out the trail, composed of over 100 attractions across 14 states,thereby embarking on a journey of meaningful discovery and memories… Where the past will both enrich the present and inspire the future.

Have you ever visited the MLK Jr. Memorial or the NMAAHC?

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