In celebration of the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, the museum is hosting an array of interactive and virtual programming and a new exhibition in its Robert F. Smith Family History Center. The September lineup opens with a discussion of the newly released documentary My Name Is Pauli Murray, which focuses on the pioneering attorney, activist, priest and dedicated memoirist Pauli Murray (1910–1985).
On Sept. 14, the Robert F. Smith Family History Center unveils “Millie Christine: The Life and Legal Battles of the ‘Carolina Twins.’” This new exhibition explores the family history, legal battles and legacy of the enslaved twin sisters from North Carolina. During the late 1800s, conjoined twins Millie and Christine McCoy (1851–1912) were exhibited across the United States and Europe as circus and sideshow attractions. It also chronicles the McCoy family’s legal battle to regain custody of the twins after emancipation. The exhibition can be viewed in the museum’s Robert F. Smith Family History Center located on the second floor.
The museum will honor its fifth anniversary, themed “Living History,” with a season of new offerings, including the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap CD and book and an art exhibition exploring the Black Lives Matter movement, violence against African Americans and how art depicts Black resilience. Also this fall, the museum will open an exhibition exploring the Reconstruction era; a virtual museum initiative, called Searchable Museum; and offer online and in-person programming to engage people around the world in African American history and culture.
National Children’s Museum Reopens
After an 18-month closure, the museum reopens with new amenities and experiences, a “Dance Party Pod” and a crowd-sourced art installation. The museum also welcomes visiting exhibition Moomin Animations – Thrills and Cuddles, focused on Moomins, the beloved fairytale creatures living in Moominvalley and created by Finnish author Tove Jansson. The exhibit will be on display in the Visiting Exhibit Hall until Jan. 9, 2022.
Bowser Administration to Celebrate Annual 202Creates Month
Throughout September, the Bowser Administration will celebrate 202Creates, a month-long initiative honoring DC’s creative community. 202Creates, which was launched in September 2016, is a citywide effort to amplify, celebrate, and highlight the District’s dynamic creative economy and community. The celebration includes DC’s culinary, cosmetology, fashion industries, musicians, performing artists, filmmakers, tech entrepreneurs, visual artists, and production support companies. The month-long campaign showcases and engages the District’s entrepreneurial and creative community through an array of events taking place across all eight wards. The DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music & Entertainment (OCTFME) and the Office of the Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) spearheads 202Creates.
For more information on events happening during 202Creates Month, please visit 202creates.com/event-
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