Dublin Core
Title
Museological Representations
of African-American History,
Cultures, and Experiences
of African-American History,
Cultures, and Experiences
Creator
Robert Ebo Hinson
Description
My thesis comparatively analyzes museological representations of African-American
history, cultures, and experiences in four museums: the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
in Birmingham, Alabama; the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago,
Illinois; the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington,
D.C.; and the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, England. In addition to
examining these histories, this thesis also questions the roles of location and politics in the
creation of these museums, as well as how these elements impact the narratives presented
in each institution. Moreover, this thesis incorporates debates from museum studies and
tourism studies, applying concepts like authenticity and the tensions between education
and entertainment to black history museums. This research also questions how these
museums approach historical narratives in our modern world. In a highly-politicized time
in which truth and fiction have been falsely equated, this thesis considers how the purpose
of black history museums has evolved to respond to modern societal tensions. The
conclusions from this thesis will contribute a full-length study of museum analyses to the
field of African-American museum studies. While extensive research has been conducted
regarding the background of black historical preservation, the African-American museum
movement, and the origins of individual institutions, there have been no major
examinations of the ways that these museums represent history, how these representations
compare to those in other museums, and how black history museum narratives are
impacted by geographic, political, and cultural frameworks. Moreover, this thesis will
serve as one of the first large-scale engagements with the National Museum of African
American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Finally, this thesis demonstrates the
importance of exploring the ways that African-American history is represented in a nonAmerican museum. This transatlantic focus extends the American-based scope that
currently dominates the field, and the original perspectives gained from this inclusion may
encourage further international engagement in future literature.
history, cultures, and experiences in four museums: the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
in Birmingham, Alabama; the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago,
Illinois; the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington,
D.C.; and the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, England. In addition to
examining these histories, this thesis also questions the roles of location and politics in the
creation of these museums, as well as how these elements impact the narratives presented
in each institution. Moreover, this thesis incorporates debates from museum studies and
tourism studies, applying concepts like authenticity and the tensions between education
and entertainment to black history museums. This research also questions how these
museums approach historical narratives in our modern world. In a highly-politicized time
in which truth and fiction have been falsely equated, this thesis considers how the purpose
of black history museums has evolved to respond to modern societal tensions. The
conclusions from this thesis will contribute a full-length study of museum analyses to the
field of African-American museum studies. While extensive research has been conducted
regarding the background of black historical preservation, the African-American museum
movement, and the origins of individual institutions, there have been no major
examinations of the ways that these museums represent history, how these representations
compare to those in other museums, and how black history museum narratives are
impacted by geographic, political, and cultural frameworks. Moreover, this thesis will
serve as one of the first large-scale engagements with the National Museum of African
American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Finally, this thesis demonstrates the
importance of exploring the ways that African-American history is represented in a nonAmerican museum. This transatlantic focus extends the American-based scope that
currently dominates the field, and the original perspectives gained from this inclusion may
encourage further international engagement in future literature.
Source
https://research.edgehill.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/21549753/Burnham_Laura_Thesis_Final_Museological_Representations_of_African_American_History_Cultures_and_Experiences.pdf
Language
English