Creating a museum is hard, especially one based on an identity and culture. An excerpt:
What story will it tell? As part of the Smithsonian, the museum bears the burden of being the “official” — that is, the government’s — version of black history, but it will also carry the hopes and aspirations of African-Americans. Will its tale be primarily one of pain, focused on America’s history of slavery and racial oppression, and memorializing black suffering? Or will it emphasize the uplifting part of the story, highlighting the richness of African-American culture, celebrating the bravery of civil rights heroes and documenting black “firsts” in fields like music, art, science and sports? Will the story end with the country’s having overcome its shameful history and approaching a state of racial harmony and equality? Or will the museum argue that the legacy of racism is still dominant — and, if so, how will it make that case?
Check out this video featuring the founder of Sparkseed, a nonprofit that helps college social entrepreneurs make their social ventures succeed. Look for a blog post on social enterprise this weekend. (Full disclosure: I went to college with Mike — he’s a cool guy with a passion for doing great work.)
Why do journalists insist on asking smart, powerful women questions about babies and marriage?
Who doesn’t love a good TED talk? Hosting one at a library is genius.
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