Military and Culture Programs Take the Spotlight in November at the National Museum of African American History and Culture

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) celebrates the legacy and contributions of African American veterans in November. Throughout the month, visitors can participate in veteran-themed programs showcasing the impact and innovation of African Americans who have served in the U.S. military.

November programming also features several discussions with various authors and historians, including a discussion with Holly A. Pinheiro Jr., author of The Families’ Civil War: Black Soldiers and the Fight for Racial Justice, and a talk with Steven Reed, Montgomery, Alabama’s first Black mayor, about his book First, Best: Lessons in Leadership and Legacy from Today’s Civil Rights Movement.

In honor of Veteran’s Day, virtual visitors can learn more about the involvement of African  American army nurses in World War II with the “Victory at Home and Abroad” online resource. The story centers on Lt. Louise Lomax and Maj. Della Hayden Raney, two African American army nurses who compiled scrapbooks during their time in the war. These scrapbooks illustrate the groundbreaking service of the Black men and women who fought for a double victory: victory abroad and victory for equal rights at home.

The Sweet Home Café presents Executive Chef Ramin Coles’ special menu, which includes - items such as honey-glazed ham, herb roast turkey, southern oyster dressing, green bean casserole, brown-sugar mashed sweet potatoes and much more available Nov. 22–Nov. 26. For more details, visit the museum’s website.

November Programming Schedule (in person or online)

 

gOD-Talk: Documentary  

Sunday, Nov. 5, Monday, Nov. 6, and Wednesday, Nov. 8; 2 p.m.–3:30 p.m.
Oprah Winfrey Theater 

The museum is presenting special film screenings of the gOD-Talk documentary. This thought-provoking film explores the intersection of religion and culture in African American history, providing a deeper understanding of the role of faith in shaping the African American experience and its impact on the world today. The program is free; however, registration is required.

Explore More! in STEM: How the Museum Uses Light

Tuesday, Nov. 7, and Wednesday, Nov. 8; 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Second-floor classrooms

Explore More! in STEM is a classroom program for ages 8+ to explore STEM concepts in relation to African American history, culture and the museum. In this lesson, visitors will learn about what light is, how solar power is used in the museum and the purpose of the museum’s “Corona.”

Writing with the 4 Elements of Hip-Hop: Breakdancing

Thursday, Nov. 9, 16 and 23; 6 p.m.–9 p.m., ET
Online

International slam poetry champion Anthony McPherson will lead this workshop. McPherson’s work incorporates various art forms and a myriad of character impressions to address race, art and his own biracial identity. He has appeared on Button Poetry and in HuffPost and Upworthy, and has reached more 10 million views since his first viral poem, “All Lives Matter: 1800’s Edition.” This event is free, however registration is required.

The Families’ Civil War:  Black Soldiers and the Fight for Racial Justice with Holly A. Pinheiro Jr.

Saturday, Nov. 11; noon
Oprah Winfrey Theater

This engaging narrative highlights the experiences of how northern free Black families fared in their daily lives when their loved ones answered the call of duty. For African American families who were already battling discrimination in their communities, the war brought new struggles impacting households, living conditions and finances. Holly A. Pinheiro Jr., doctorate in history, shows how military experiences were not uniform, and how race and class differed among an estimated 79,000 Black men who served in northern United States Colored Troops regiments. A book signing for Pinheiro’s book, The Families’ Civil War: Black Soldiers and the Fight for Racial Justice, will follow the lecture. The event is free; however, registration is required.

I Go To Prepare a Place For You: Mounted Plant Workshop

Sunday, Nov. 12; 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m.
Second-floor classrooms
$20 fee

In this workshop, participants will learn how to mount and care for hoyas or wax plants to create a living wall hanging inspired by the foliage on Bisa Butler’s quilt, I Go To Prepare a Place for You. In their natural environment, many hoyas grow on rocks or trees, not in the pots seen at the garden store. Participants can learn about Butler’s work while creating a stunning piece of living art. Registration is required.

Meditation Monday’s: Spirit in the Dark

Monday, Nov. 13, 20 and 27; noon–1:15 p.m. ET
Online

Participants can join the museum every Monday this November as it explores meditation as a practice in liberation. This 40-minute meditation session provides an opportunity for participants of any experience level to experience the soundscape of the museum’s exhibition, “Spirit in the Dark,” through mindfulness meditation practices. Sonically, lyrically or instrumentally, many of the artists featured in the exhibition blur and transgress the boundaries between the holy and the profane, the sacred and the secular. Together, participants will engage in deep listening of the soundscape and contemplate the journey of Black Americans toward liberation. This event is free, but registration is required.

Historically Speaking: Steven Reed: First, Best: Lessons in Leadership and Legacy from Today’s Civil Rights Movement

Wednesday, Nov. 29; 7 p.m.–8 p.m.
Oprah Winfrey Theater

The museum will present a book talk with Mayor Steven Reed, the first Black mayor of Montgomery, Alabama, and son of civil rights leader, Joe Reed. His recent book, First, Best: Lessons in Leadership and Legacy from Today’s Civil Rights Movement, weaves the lessons Reed’s father taught him with those he learned the hard way, making his name in a world not built for him. The event is free; however, registration is required.

New on View in the Museum

 

Ribbon Rack from U.S. Army Service Uniform Jacket Worn by Gen. Lloyd James Austin III

On view in the “Double Victory” exhibition

 

Credit: Collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, USA (Ret.)

Gen. Lloyd James Austin III became the first African American secretary of defense in 2021 and serves on the National Security Council. A West Point graduate, he served in the Army for 40 years before retiring as a four-star general.

Charles Bolden’s Space Shuttle Mission Shirt (Discovery STS-60)

On view in the “Double Victory” exhibition

Credit: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture,
Gift of Maj. Gen. Charles F. Bolden Jr., USMC (Ret)

Charles Bolden became a NASA astronaut in 1981. He flew four missions as a pilot on STS61C and STS-31 and as mission commander on STS-45 and STS-60, logging more than 680 hours in space.  Bolden graduated from the Naval Academy in 1968 and became a Marine Corps aviator, flying more than 100 combat missions over Southeast Asia. In 1980, he was selected as a NASA astronaut and flew four space missions. Bolden was eventually appointed the 12th administrator of NASA. He retired in 2003 as a major general.

About the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Since opening on Sept. 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has welcomed more than 9 million in-person visitors and millions more through its digital presence. Occupying a prominent location next to the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the nearly 400,000-square-foot museum is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history. The museum has also launched and is continually expanding its reach with the Searchable Museum portal and other efforts to bring the African American history into the world’s hands and homes. For more information about the museum, visit nmaahc.si.edu follow @NMAAHC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or call Smithsonian information at (202) 633-1000.

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