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National Museum of African American History and Culture to open next year

Museum Picture
National Museum of African American History and Culture under construction at the corner of 14th Street and Constitution Avenue on the National Mall. Photo by Abigail Hadfield.

Tourists interviewed on the National Mall about the ongoing construction of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, set to open in 2016, were unaware of the museum but enthusiastic about its opening.

The majority of those interviewed knew very little about the museum or its construction, and had only learned about it after seeing the construction and signs surrounding the museum.

Given the recent racial tensions in the U.S., many agreed that the building of the museum was timely and vital to understanding African American culture, both in the past and present. Some believed that the museum is significant regardless of the racial tensions today.

“If it was approved to be built almost 10 years ago, it shouldn’t need current events to be important,”  said Liv Willis, 17.

Brian McCauley, 37, a future tour guide at the museum, explained how it will be organized and how it will highlight heroes in African American history and their untold stories.

The plans to build the museum were drawn up in 2006, making the construction and opening of the museum a 10 year project. The museum is part of the Smithsonian Institution, and is being built on the National Mall, located between the National Museum of American History and the Washington Monument at the corner of 14th Street and Constitution Avenue.

The museum itself will have eight levels with five above ground and three below.

The facade on the outside of the museum, called the Corona, is described as “a representation of traditional African architecture using modern materials,” as stated on the project website. The museum’s website describes the museum as “a centerpiece venue for ceremonies and performances, as well as a primary exhibition space for African American history and culture.”

The new exhibition, “Through the African American Lens,” is the first exhibit at the museum, and shows “the personal and intimate narratives of various families, organizations and individuals spanning the Revolutionary era to the present,” according to the museum’s website.

For the residents and tourists, the museum will be an important fixture in a prominent location.

McCauley emphasized the importance of the museum by adding, “DC is an African American city.”

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Feminism surges but some thinks there’s no need

P1000417A modern resurgence of feminism and belief in gender equality has sparked controversial discussions on whether or not feminism is necessary in today’s society.

In interviews conducted in the Washington, D.C. area, conflicting ideas about the importance of feminism emerged. Opinions on certain topics were agreed upon by all, specifically the wage gap in America between men and women.

“Women of color are paid even less than white women and I think that’s wrong,” said Michelle Nowak, 19, an advocate for the Human Rights Campaign.

The oppression of women of color and the struggles they face in particular were also touched on by Mone Williams, 21.

“I don’t think that any other race or gender can do anything better than another,” Williams said.

Modern feminist issues go beyond the wage gap, also encompassing the right to have an abortion and raising awareness about the hyper-sexualization of women, especially in advertising and the film industry.

Throughout history, feminists have worked to gain women’s rights and become equal with men, their most well-known success being in the suffragist movement to gain women’s voting rights. When asked about the future of feminism, of the 10 people interviewed, all believed that feminists will continue to fight for their cause.

Dr. Nicole Cox, a professor of mass media at Valdosta State University in Georgia, believes that both raising awareness about feminism and spreading the goals of the movement are vital to ensure it continues to grow.

“I think that it’s more accessible for the younger generation,” Cox said. On the topic of complete gender equality, Cox added, “I don’t think it’s going to happen in the next five years, but maybe 10 or 15.”

A few people interviewed did not believe that feminism in today’s world is necessary, or believed that those who advocate for it and call themselves feminists are too intense in their endeavors.

“Feminists just tend to take it a little far,” said 19-year old Dana Foley.

The majority of those interviewed, however, viewed feminism and its goals in a positive light, although most agreed that the struggle for equality is far from over.

“I think the movement itself has a real challenge in terms of defining what it wants,” said Jermall Keels, 19. Later, he added, “I think our generation is just a really social movement-driven generation.”