Southern Arkansas University’s Magale Library proudly hosts a new Smithsonian Institution exhibit, “A Place for All People: Introducing the National Museum of African American History and Culture.” The public is invited to view the exhibition in Magale’s second-floor gallery.
The Smithsonian Institution opened the National Museum of African American History and Culture on Sept. 24, 2016, and continues to reach beyond Washington, D.C., to Magnolia and SAU with the rich story of the African American experience.
Organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), “A Place for All People” highlights key artifacts of the African American journey, from the child-size shackles of a slave and the clothing worn by Carolotta Walls on her first day at Little Rock Central High School to Chuck Berry’s Gibson guitar and the track shoes worn by Olympian Carl Lewis. The exhibition presents a living history of challenge, triumph, faith and hope.
The poster exhibition and related programs are an opportunity for Magale Library to share the many stories of African American and African diaspora people and their contributions to the local community and America.
The journey to establish this museum began a century ago with a call for a national memorial honoring the contributions of African American Civil War veterans. After decades of efforts by private citizens, organizations and members of Congress, federal legislation was passed in 2003 to create the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Since then, thousands of artifacts have been collected to fill the inspiring new building on the National Mall. Through its exhibitions and programs, the museum provides a shared lens to view the nation’s history and the possibility for hope and healing. It is a place where all can gather to remember, reflect and embrace America’s story: a place for all people. For more information, visit nmaahc.si.edu.
