In the article “Pride and Pain on Opening Day at a Museum of African-American History” written by Melena Ryzik she writes about the accomplishment and pride of African Americans. She incorporates what it is to be proud and appreciate one’s culture. Her article is written on the opening the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D. C on the national mall. The only national museum dedicated solely to the history and culture of African Americans. There over 37,000 artifacts are in the collection such subjects as the community, family, the arts, religion, civil rights, segregation, and slavery.
The author shows a great deal of interest in African American culture and what it represents even though she is not a part of the community herself. Resilience,spirituality, appreciation, and optimism are reflected in African American culture. All of these values were very evident through the article. These are values in which the museum was made. To bring people of the different cultures together. The article begins by presenting the museum in chronological order from the Trans-Atlantic slave to modern time.
Treasures and heirlooms that have been in families for years are It took decade-long effort by activists to finally convince congress to begin construction in 2003. The museum was opened on September 3, 2016, by President Obama in its opening ceremony. It took optimism by brave African Americans. To fight for a cause justified to them and our country. They were passionate about their reasoning for wanting the museum to open. The author clearly displays this by showing that African Americans don’t easily give up and fight for a positive outcome.
This something African Americans do every day. A culture built on struggle and to continue still going strong shows great strength and resilience. Growing up I never once knew there was an African American museum being built in Washington D. C. This is something new and amazing for my cultural community. It serves as an achievement of oppression in hard times. It gives me something to be proud of the history and cultural of African Americans. The author writes of the museum to show appreciation for African American culture.
Though I have never visited the museum I am getting a glimpse into what values are being represented to the appreciation of my culture and the accomplishment of African Americans. Having a chance to possibly physically see the pride and pain of my culture are very exciting. It serves as a place of collaboration. To introduce the history to new audiences and to preserve African American history. My culture is rich and deep with history. Having family members who grew up in the south during the same time of the civil rights movement has had an effect on me.
The things they witnessed growing up. Not being able to go to the same restroom or restaurants is what some of my family grew up with. This is part of my identity because these things in our history didn’t happen too long ago. I am appreciative of the things that were done in the past to help provide a better future for me. I am part of this community because I have the same heritage and my ancestors had to go through these things The article depicts the struggles and accomplishments of African Americans through the museum.
Which was built to show the pride and pain of African Americans? It is a display of struggles that were overcome because of racial barriers placed upon them. Barriers that make up a part of American History. A part of my identity. Appreciation of my culture is what is shown throughout the article. Years of oppression of African Americans is what the author displays. Accurate details of the African American community and what we value are evident throughout the article. The author of the article is not African American herself, but she has an interest in African American culture.
Her appreciation of my culture is why she wrote the article. She is well informed, people like her, enjoy my culture for what it is. This is why the museum was created to enjoy and learn more about the African American history and their community. One thing is the author could never truly understand my culture because she is not African American. Throughout the article, she tried to touch on many things. Hundreds of years of oppression cannot be put in one place and all is forgiven. She never had to go through certain obstacles African Americans go through on a daily basis.
Throughout the article, the author incorporated people’s opinion of the museum who are part of the African American community. Opinions that have credibility and this creates a sense of respect towards the author for her appreciation of African Americans in the article. People whom the author interviewed were deeply rooted in the creation of the museum. She interviewed people who have been waiting for the museum to open for most of their lives. These perspectives shine a light on what values are evident in the creation of the museum. An idea well incorporated throughout the essay by the author.
One woman whose story in the article could reminisce the day she saw Martin Luther King Jr giving his “I have a Dream” speech on the Washington mall. Another woman remembers the day when congress approved the creation of the museum. The author presents these perspectives because she understands she is not in a position to speak on the museum because of her own heritage. She wanted to introduce the pride and pain of African Americans and show her appreciation of my culture while also respecting it and giving it the proper perspective in the article.
Respect is something that is valued throughout the African American community. This comes from respecting elders and treating everyone in a respectful manner. The author writes about the museum to display a sense of the culture of my people moving forward. For those who were able to visit the museum can feel the struggle of over 400 years being in the museum. Something that can be felt from the article alone. Generations of African Americans came out for the 3-day celebration of the opening of the museum to appreciate their culture. The author was amazed by the number she saw come out to support the museum.
She understood why people were coming out in such large numbers. Accomplishments and great feats by in writings from prominent African Americans such as Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou lay on the walls of the museum. The writing on the walls also contains bills of sales and tracing of lineage. These things all dedicated to the appreciation of African American culture. These are things made clear throughout the article. The values and history of African American that is rich and deep. Appreciating why the museum was built and how it displays the pride and pain of my culture were very significant in the article.
The author writes about the museum to display a sense of my culture moving forward. The article was written about something that has deep meaning behind it. Deeper than the museum but the values in which the African American culture holds. The article was written with knowing the issues of today were still very relevant. Every day When I turn the news on my always sees police brutality and injustices. This injustice can be traced back to the days of the civil rights movement when African Americans were hosed and attacked by police dogs.
Issues that happened in the past continue today and need to end. The museum opened during the last months of the Obama Administration and it opens during the times of racial inequality and justice in our country. For those who may not know much about African American struggles from slavery, Klu Klux Klan, and the civil rights movement this museum will highlight many of these issues. Racial tensions can even be eased if others come together like the author herself to appreciate someone else’s culture. This article is deeper than just the history behind it. It’s a sign of progress and change.
This is why the struggle continues today. Even though African Americans aren’t being persecuted any more certain things have to change. This is where the value of resiliency is shown in African American culture. My culture since the time it originated has had misfortune. We were always able to overcome these misfortunes. Our history is based on resilience we value this in everyday life. Resilience is something presented throughout the article by including things such as the slavery, and the civil rights movement. Both very well know things in about my culture.
A time where I knew I was a part of the African American and involved in a positive direction for change community was when I first went to bible club at my school which was hosted by the Black Student Union. The club met up once a week during lunch to eat lunch and discuss the scriptures. The majority of the students in the club were African American. Our club would still consist of students from other cultures. During this time we were able to form bonds within the school because of our cultural background. This club brought people together who normally wouldn’t talk to each other together.
It gave a sense of pride because of many African Americans are known to have a close kinship bond. Being a teenager and being able to have a sense of community through a club at school is amazing. Often times throughout the year the club would bring in African American community leaders such as pastors. My culture, values support from networks such as the church. In bible club we would often come in we would have a bond with everyone who attended. When I would come in here I would feel safe and I made connections with people that I will have for the rest of my life.
A cultural community is very important to me. This is why I chose to attend a bible club in high school. I felt like I belonged in a community. A community of people who share the same ideas and mutuals interest. Reasons why spirituality and religion play such a big role in African American communities. We value religion which traces back to the period of slavery. African Americans often times found strength and through communal worship. They relied on their faith to give them inspiration and to keep moving forward.
These same values were evident in bible club at school. Values that we would not have expected to learn in such a public setting. This is a part that makes me appreciate my culture. Pride is shown through religion and human values. The values that African Americans hold close to them is a family bond. This is what I got while being a part of bible club. We oftentimes bonded through food and listening to music that we all in enjoyed Hip-Hop. Many students in the club come from similar families to mine and we connected to many things and this made us family.
We all came together as a whole to appreciate being a part of the African American community. To me, this is an honor because I feel like part of a new generation of ideas and the continuation of American history. What my ancestors lived through lives in me. Family bonds are another important value in African American culture. Examples of family bonds in African American culture includes respect for elders and good manners. These values were also incorporated regularly during bible clubs because of the elders that regularly joined our study sessions.
The creation of the museum and the values it holds is important to the African American community. This is something the author presented well throughout the article. The pride and pain of African Americans live on. To be able to appreciate my culture for what it is and the rich history behind it is something well respected in the African community and showing appreciation. Even though I may represent most of the values incorporated in the article the author understands the how\my culture and what it stands for.
My experience with culture with bible club is similar to the article. I came to find out and develop values at bible club while the article was written and values were evident. I didn’t know the values of Resilience, optimism, appreciation, and spirituality was so important to my culture. I knew what some of these values growing up but I never fully knew what it meant. All until I read the article and Examined what values are of the author and my community. Then I concluded how I connect to these values and I am a part of the community.
