Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture

Name: Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture
Address: 1400 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington D.C., DC, 20004, US
Telephone: +18447503012

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Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture

Journey through the lens of the African American experience. Smithsonian Terms of Use: https://www.si.edu/termsofuse

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08/26/2026

On August 28, 1963, an 11-month-old girl and her father desegregated the Gwynn Oak Amusement Park on this carousel. For eight years, the amusement park just outside Baltimore was the site of multiple protests and attempts at desegregation. Finally, on the same day as the March on Washington, a ride around this carousel desegregated Gwynn Oak Amusement Park.

Today, this historic carousel greets visitors on the National Mall as the Smithsonian Carousel. Here, it serves as both a source of joy and a reminder of, in the words of Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, the “little victories.”

Learn more about the Smithsonian Carousel: https://www.smithsonian.com/carousel/

08/22/2026

Today, we celebrate Chuck Brown, the Godfather of Go-Go.

Born in Gaston, NC, Brown grew up in a home filled with hymns and harmonica tunes. Music offered him comfort, escape, and connection. By the time he arrived in Washington, D.C., he understood how a song could lift spirits and bring people together. He went on to transform go-go from a local sound into a movement of community, culture, and connection. His music reflected the experiences of Black Washingtonians and gave generations of residents a soundtrack for celebration, resilience, and pride.

More than five decades later, Chuck Brown's legacy continues to unite Washington and inspire audiences worldwide. Through the artists he mentored, the communities he brought together, and the enduring influence of go-go, Brown's rhythm remains a powerful expression of D.C.'s identity and cultural heritage.

Learn more about Chuck Brown and his legacy: https://s.si.edu/4gJLh9S

📸 Courtesy of Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images.

08/21/2026

A milestone this big calls for an unforgettable night.

Join us September 26 at The Wharf for The Purple Ball: Echoes of the Pearl, featuring performances by GRAMMY Award-winning artist and producer Jermaine Dupri & Friends and legendary artist and entertainer DJ D-Nice.

Dress in your best shades of purple as we celebrate 10 years of preserving and sharing African American history and culture.

Proceeds from this special fundraising affair will support our museum’s exhibitions, programming and education initiatives.

Registration is required: nmaahc10.com/purpleball

08/17/2026

Join us September 24-27 for "The Reunion" – a weekend of music, culture, reflection, and community, as we celebrate 10 years of preserving and sharing African American history and culture.

“The Reunion” will extend from the museum’s footprint on the National Mall to The Wharf, a historic site just steps away where one of the most courageous stories of hope, resilience and determination in American history unfolded.

In 1848, 77 freedom seekers boarded the schooner Pearl at The Wharf, risking everything in pursuit of freedom. We are returning to The Wharf to honor their courage and welcome our community home.

Sept 24 | 10th Anniversary museum-wide programming

Sept 25 | A Conversation with Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution

Sept 26 | The Purple Ball: Echoes of the Pearl – A Fundraising Affair

Sept 27 | Violet Vibes: A Community Celebration

Wear your purple. Come home.

Register: nmaahc.si.edu/10Years

📸 Alan Karchmer/NMAAHC

08/06/2026

Today marks the 61st anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, signed into law on August 6, 1965.

President Lyndon B. Johnson introduced the Voting Rights Act to Congress in March 1965, the same month that voter registration protests intensified in Selma, Alabama. The violence there added pressure on Congress to act, and the bill was signed into law on August 6, 1965.

The legislation outlawed literacy tests, poll taxes in federal elections, and other obstacles to voting.

The passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act led to dramatic increases in Black voter registration and the election of more African Americans to state and local office.

📸 Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Frances Albrier Collection.

08/04/2026

in 1961, Barack Obama was born. After serving as a senator for Illinois, he was elected 44th President of the United States and served from 2009 to 2017. Obama was the first Black American elected President of the United States in history. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts during the first year of his presidency.

📸 Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Platon, © Platon.

08/02/2026

Born in 1924, James Baldwin used his creative talents to challenge racism in America and illuminate the African American experience. His work helped raise awareness of racial and s*xual oppression. He remains one of the most quoted writers among present-day activists.

📸 Johnson Publishing Company Archive. Courtesy J. Paul Getty Trust and Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Made possible by the Ford Foundation, J. Paul Getty Trust, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Smithsonian Institution.

07/25/2026

in 1941, Emmett Louis Till was born. Today, he would have turned 85 years old.

His mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, made the courageous decision to hold an open-casket funeral – she was determined not to hide what happened to him. The images of Till’s body, published in Jet magazine and other publications, exposed the brutality of racial violence to the nation and the world. Emmett Till’s death and acquittal of his murderers, became a powerful catalyst, galvanizing a new generation of activists and helping to ignite the modern Civil Rights Movement.

The Emmett Till Memorial at our museum offers a sacred space for reflection and remembrance.

📸 Photograph of Emmett Till with his mother, Mamie Till Mobley. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Mamie Till Mobley family.

07/23/2026

Travel guides like this one from 1953, often called “Green Books,” highlighted places and businesses where Black travelers could visit safely. During the segregation era, discriminatory laws and practices made traveling by car a problematic and even dangerous experience for African Americans. Along the nation’s highways, Black travelers were routinely denied access to essential services like gas, food, restrooms, and lodging. To find safe and friendly accommodations, travelers relied on a network of shared advice, exchanged by word of mouth and also published in travel guides such as the Green Book by Victor H. Green.

Travel back in time and across the country with the Green Book on our Searchable Museum: https://s.si.edu/4vAFec5

📸 The Negro Travelers' Green Book, 1953. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

07/22/2026

In the first half of the 20th century, the Great Migration saw millions of African Americans leave the South for Northern and Midwestern cities in search of jobs, safety, and dignity. Black newspapers like the Chicago Defender played a crucial role in spreading information and encouraging migration. The Defender highlighted issues of racism and discrimination as well as stories of Black social and economic progress, all in flaming red headlines, and quickly attracted a wide readership. At its height, it had grown into a daily publication with a national circulation of over 500,000 — the largest Black-owned newspaper in the nation. It spurred, shaped, and gave voice to the Great Migration of Black Southerners to the urban North. It also created a sense of place and an important lens into Chicago life, culture, and politics as the city changed over time. More than a local paper, the Defender was also an engine of ideas and opinions that galvanized Black people nationwide.

Learn more: https://s.si.edu/4yv3Khq

📸 Courtesy of The Abbott Sengstacke Family Papers/Robert Abbott Sengstacke/Getty Images.

Address

1400 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington D.C., DC
20004

Telephone

+18447503012

Website

http://nmaahc.si.edu/

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