My readers know I love museums. That love likely stems from the fact I was raised about an hour from Washington DC, home of the Smithsonian. Every year, some class would have a field trip to one of the museums – Air & Space, Natural History, American History, etc. In the summers, I would visit my sisters who lived in DC at the time, and the Smithsonian often became a focus for a visit as I was accompanied by a friend who had less exposure to the great museums.
For those who do not know the history of the Smithsonian: In 1829, British scientist James Smithson left his fortune to the United States to found “at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge”. Congress authorized acceptance in 1836, but didn’t decide what to do with it until 1846, when Congress passed the act that organized the Smithsonian Institution under a Board of Regents and a Secretary. No one knows what inspired Mr. Smithson to leave his fortune to the U.S. – but the impact of it has touched millions of people. It is the world’s largest museum – with 21 individual museums, 21 libraries, 9 research facilities and the National Zoo under its wing. Even before moving to Texas in the 90’s, I’d missed a few of the offerings, and they’ve added a couple since I left.
For this visit, I started with the Sackler/Freer museum – now called the Museum of Asian Art, accompanied by two of my sisters. It is very conveniently located next to the Smithsonian metro stop. Although not a “new” museum, it is one that I had not visited in my youth. One of the highlights of the Asian Art Museum is the Peacock Room designed by Whistler for London millionaire Frederick Leyland to display his blue and white Chinese porcelain. When Leyland died in 1892, the room was auctioned in its entirety and purchased by Charles Freer. The room was carefully moved to his Detroit home. Freer died in 1919, much of his art was bequeathed to the Smithsonian – and the room moved again to the gallery bearing his name in 1923.
The art of Asia, like that of most regions, is inspired by nature and religion, and expressed in the fine porcelains of China and Korea, statues, calligraphy scrolls and woodcuts. The curators posted a game called “Hidden Dragons” where patrons look for dragon shapes and symbols hidden in the carvings and other artwork.
On Day two I explored the Museum of African Art (located near Asian Art) then to the new Museum of African American History (the museum closest to the Washington Monument). I was a little disappointed at the African Art Museum because close to half of its galleries are currently closed setting up new displays scheduled to open from mid- March to late April. It was lightly visited (there were more docents than visitors on the Monday morning I wandered through). Open galleries included photography from Solomon Osagie Alonge – who photographed the people of Benin City, Nigeria, during the 1950’s through the 70’s, many with their most prized possessions.
They highlighted Visionary Artists from around Africa – the most memorable was Romuald Hazoume’s installation “the Rainbow Serpent” representing a serpent eating its tail made from “jerry” cans (gas cans) that had been used to smuggle oil into Benin City.
The Museum of African America History and Culture is powerful – and popular. Even on a Monday in February, a timed entry is required (free – you need to go to their main website – https://nmaahc.si.edu/visit/plan-your-visit ). It is a huge museum, and you should plan for a minimum of four hours (2 ½ for those that like to do “express tours”, but even for them that could be a challenge). You can choose to start at the top with cultural heritage – music, pop culture and art, or go down to the lowest sublevel and wind your way upward through history.
When I arrived, there was a large group starting into the history portion so I chose the “culture first” route. First and foremost – African Americans are Americans that have a huge influence on every aspect of American culture. In music, the rhythms and syncopation found in Rock N Roll and Jazz are heavily influenced by African beats. The banjo was inspired by African gourd stringed instruments. Elvis Pressley, Johnny Cash and many other artists owe their sound to the soulful hymns created by Black artists. The heavy pyrotechnics of modern rock concerts go back to the P Funk and the Mother Ship of the early 1970’s.
I headed down the elevator to the early history of slavery and Africans in America. It is a powerful reminder of man’s cruelty to mankind. To me, the best summary of the lower most exhibit was the wall engraved with the names of slave ships and dates of sailing, listing the number of enslaved boarded and the number disembarked for sale upon reaching its destination. A less than 50% survival rate was common. Cattle were treated better.
Displays traced the Black experience in the north and south up to and during the Civil War. Slaves were often forced to fight or support the Confederate troops (and many leaked information to the Union – providing essential intelligence that led to many Union victories). The Union formed Black regiments, initially disregarded, then used in the heaviest and most dangerous parts of battle.
After the Civil War, the 14th Amendment granted all men equal rights under the Constitution, but that right was quickly circumvented after Reconstruction. Blacks were marginalized, forced to pay poll taxes and take citizenship tests to vote, and even those who did were often physically prevented from exercising their rights. During the Jim Crow era, and just after Brown vs the Board of Education which technically ended school segregation, African American southerners founded Citizenship Schools so Blacks could pass the written tests required to vote until those laws were made illegal by the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
No Black individual was awarded the Medal of Honor between WWI and Vietnam. During WWI, Freddie Stowers led his men against the German trenches, and although wounded twice, continued to lead his men in the battlefield, dying from his wounds. His commanders recommended him for the Medal of Honor, but “somehow” the recommendation was never processed. Henry Johnson held off a German raid in hand-to-hand combat, rescuing a fellow soldier and sustaining 21 different wounds. His deeds were widely published in the New York Times and Saturday Evening Post – his Medal of Honor was awarded in 2015 by president Barack Obama.
In 1993 a full review was made of Black soldiers awarded other medals during WWII and in 1997 seven African American men were awarded the medal of honor – six posthumously.
I will leave you with a “moment of zen” – tucked between the Smithsonian Castle, the Museum of Asian Art nd the Museum of African Art is a beautiful garden, already a riot of color during my late February visit.
The next time you visit Washington DC, I hope you make the time to visit the Smithsonian, its free, and there is a museum for almost every interest. Almost all of the museums are easily accessible by the DC Metro (and most metro fares are less than $3 each way). For more information: www.si.edu.