The African American History Museum in D.C.

The African American History Museum in D.C. December 14, 2019

I visited the new African American History Museum in D.C. in October and found it interesting, but seriously under-representing the importance of the Black Christian church experience for most African Americans in the last two centuries. Nevertheless there was some evidence which you will see below.

There was a small recognition of the importance of some of the early Black Methodist preachers and their influence.
And a few artifacts of importance…

The main focus of the museum was on the sociological side of things, particularly in regard to slavery and the civil rights movement, but one cannot separate out the sociology from the theology since it was Martin Luther King Jr. and a Christian organization which for the most part led the movement that led to desegregation and the elimination of the ‘separate but equal’ doctrine…. There was also a huge amount of focus on African Americans roles in various major sports in America. All of this is fine, but did not do justice to the theological basis and roots and faith of African Americans and how it has shaped their past and their present.


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