UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — America’s identity has been shaped by many forces and African-American culture and experience is a powerful contributor to our national image, according to Lonnie G. Bunch III, founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
“In every development of our country’s history, every step that has made America better is tied to African-American lives, patriotism and sacrifice,” Bunch said.
On Wednesday, Nov. 1, Bunch will present a public lecture on the University Park campus, “The Challenge of Building a National Museum," at 7 p.m. in Freeman Auditorium of the HUB-Robeson Center. His talk will delve into the years of planning and thought that went into the September 2016 opening of the museum on the National Mall. Some 400,000 square feet is used to house and display some of the more than 36,000 artifacts that have been collected from all over the world.
Bunch shared his insight and experience on creating a museum that “embraces not only African-American history and culture, but how that history has shaped America’s identity.”
“My goal for the last 11 years,” said Bunch, “has been to create a museum that modeled the nation I was taught to expect: a nation that was diverse; that was fair; that was always struggling to make itself better — to perfect itself by living up to the ideals in our founding documents.”
On the vision for a national museum focusing on African-American history:
“The vision of the museum was built on four pillars: One was to harness the power of memory to help America illuminate all the dark corners of its past. Another was to demonstrate that this was more than a people’s journey — it was a nation’s story. The third was to be a beacon that illuminated all the work of other museums in a manner that was collaborative, and not competitive. And the last — given the numbers of people worldwide who first learn about America through African-American culture — was to reflect upon the global dimensions of the African-American experience.”
On African-American history as American history:
“In so many ways, the American experience is the African American experience. In every development of our country’s history, every step that has made America better is tied to African American lives, patriotism and sacrifice. Indeed, profits from slavery provided a reservoir of capital that allowed America to grow into a world power.
“The defining experience of African-American life has been the necessity of making a way out of no way, of mustering the nimbleness, ingenuity and perseverance to establish a place in this society. That effort, over the centuries, has shaped this nation’s history so profoundly that, in many ways, African-American history is the quintessential American history … If you’re interested in American notions of freedom, if you’re interested in the broadening of fairness, opportunity and citizenship, then regardless of who you are, this is your story, too.”
On organizing a museum — before it even had a home:
“Getting this museum organized was like taking a cruise at the same time you’re building the ship. Hundreds of priorities, all urgent, all needing attention from my very small band of believers. I decided that we had to act like a museum from the very beginning. Rather than simply plan for a building that would be a decade away, we felt that it was crucial to curate exhibitions, publish books, craft the virtual museum online — in essence, to demonstrate the quality and creativity of our work to potential donors, collectors, members of Congress and the Smithsonian … With no collections, a staff of just seven and no space to call our own, we launched our first exhibition, in May 2007.”
On the building’s distinctive design:
“The design’s signature element is its corona, the pierced bronze-colored crown that surrounds the top three levels of the exterior. It has an essential function, controlling the flow of sunlight into the building, but its visual symbolism is equally important. The corona has roots in Yoruban architecture. To me, there are several layers of meaning. The corona slopes upward and outward at an angle of 17 degrees, the same angle that the Washington Monument rises upward and inward, so the two monuments talk to each other. We have a picture from the 1940s of black women in prayer whose hands are raised at this angle, too, so the corona reflects that facet of spirituality.
“The most distinctive feature of the corona is its filigree design … I wanted to do something that honored African-American creativity. So I suggested that we use the patterns of the ironwork that shapes so many buildings in Charleston and New Orleans — ironwork that was done by enslaved craftsmen. That would pay homage to them — and to the unacknowledged labor of so many others who built this nation. “
On what visitors will find in the National Museum of African American History:
“Once you’re inside our museum, you will be enveloped by history. Exhibitions will explore the years of slavery and freedom, the era of segregation and the stories of recent America. On another floor you will explore the notion of community in exhibitions that examine the role of African-Americans in the military and in sports — and you’ll understand how the power of place ensured that there was never one single African-American experience. The last exhibition floor explores the role of culture in shaping America, from the visual arts to music to film, theater and television.
“The stuff of history will be your guide, whether it’s an actual slave cabin reconstructed near a freedman’s cabin, or a railroad car outfitted for segregated seating, or the dress Carlotta Walls’ parents bought for her to wear the day in 1957 she and eight others integrated Central High School in Little Rock, or a rescue basket used after Hurricane Katrina. There are nearly 4,000 artifacts to explore, engage and remember, with more in storage until they can be rotated into the museum.”
On the museum as a place of discovery, and possible reconciliation:
“I think the museum needs to be a place that finds the right tension between moments of pain and stories of resiliency and uplift. There will be moments where visitors could cry as they ponder the pains of the past, but they will also find much of the joy and hope that have been a cornerstone of the African-American experience. Ultimately, I trust that our visitors will draw sustenance, inspiration and a commitment from the lessons of history to make America better.
“The Smithsonian is the great convener, bringing diverse points of view into contact. A primary goal of the museum is to help America find whatever peace it can over issues of race.”