BLACK WORLD HISTORY MUSEUM:
INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY

As a result of undertaking the Millenial Visions grant project, the Black World History Museum was able to reach the community on a wider scale than it had previously been able to. Because the museum aimed to create "a public more enlightened about the importance of preserving family memorabilia for themselves, for perpetuation of the African American Experience, and for the value of their relationship to the American Experience," many of their programs specifically involved community outreach. As a consequence, Ms. Conley reported that the museum "got what [it] wanted, not in volume, [but it] got a few artifacts" beyond what the interns themselves had collected. Even more important than the physical significance of these artifacts is the shift in public attitude they represent. As the museum gains more recognition within the community, it becomes more and more the repository for that community's artifacts. And, Ms. Conley states, obtaining this recognition is getting easier as time moves on: "the program[s] give the public the opportunity to understand what our capabilities are."

Further, the Community History Project prompted several experts from the community to commit to lasting involvement in the museum. Ms. Conley stated that one of the greatest successes of the project was "being able to have other African-American humanities people-not in the traditional sense, necessarily, [but still] with credentials"- become active members of the museum community. As a direct result of programs conducted and opportunities offered over the grant period, the museum has been able to "provide for [these humanities experts] a venue and an opportunity to work here [at the museum]." At least three of these people have returned to participate at the museum and are repeatedly presenting program ideas to the museum staff. Knowing that they have been able to involve these community humanities experts in public programming and intern training has the immediate effect of bolstering program and community recognition. In the long term, however, this involvement helps to lay the internal framework that will strengthen the museum within the community.