What's Going on in the Museum?

February 24, 2009 will mark the Banneker-Douglass Museum's 25th anniversary. This is a huge achievement for a building that was almost razed and turned into a parking lot. We've come a long way from those days, but it's still important to remember how we got here. Throughout the museum's history there have been many people who have worked tirelessly on its behalf. Now, with so much change in the air and such a great milestone upon us, it is the ideal time to hear the history of the museum from those who lived it. With this in mind, the museum has decided to launch an oral history program. This program will be focused both on gathering histories having to do with our mission of preserving Maryland African American history and serving as a resource for those who want to record oral histories for themselves. Of course, with our own history knocking on our door, our first project will be to interview those who helped the museum get to where it is today. From those who fought for Mt. Moriah in the 70's to those who work here now, everyone has an important perspective on our history and stories that need to be told.

Already we're taking the initial steps to make this program a reality. On July 21, museum staff and community members took part in an oral history workshop led by Laura Croghan Kamoie from the Naval Academy. Dr. Kamoie covered everything from the definition of oral history to the process of interviewing an individual. Everything she covered made the process seem simple and approachable. After learning the basics we're ready to do the work. Currently we're trying to acquire the equipment necessary to record our interviews and decide on the format on which to save our interviews. We are also continuing and intensifying the ongoing task of researching our past so that when the time comes we will be able to ask informed and meaningful questions. This is a new and exciting project, which will hopefully allow us to reconnect with our past and better serve our community. If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment.

Posted by J. Caity Swanson, Hodson Intern