How to Build a Museum

Starred review from October 1, 2016

Gr 5 Up-One hundred years ago, the National Memorial Association was formed to establish a monument honoring African American veterans of the Civil War. It took years to get Congressional support, but finally, in the late 1920s, a bill was passed to create a committee to establish a museum dedicated to African American contributions to our nation. While the committee was abolished during the Depression, the dream was not. However, it took another 70 years of urging by activists and politicians to renew interest in the project. Bolden investigates this history and the search for a museum director and artifacts, including the national call for "treasures" and the related national tour by curators in search of items for the collection. In addition, she discusses the museum's location on the National Mall, a place once bordered by "holding pens for enslaved people bound for the Deep South." Archival and contemporary photos and reproductions of artwork and other materials enhance this clearly written, well-documented book. The images increase in the second half and highlight the museum's permanent collections devoted to slavery and freedom; segregation; African American religious, civic, and educational institutions, communities, military experience; and other topics. Here, introductory paragraphs discuss the focus of the exhibits and the questions they ask, while captions add fascinating detail about the items presented. VERDICT An important, profusely illustrated account of the history, building, and collections of a national treasure.-Daryl Grabarek, School Library Journal

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2016
Grades 6-9 The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, opening on September 24, 2016, represents the fulfillment of a dream that took hold 100 years ago among a group of black Civil War veterans. After introducing the new museum's director, this handsome book outlines the project's history, the institution's goals, and the design and building of a suitable home near the Washington Monument. The museum's staff faced the challenge of assembling a large collection of suitable objects from scratch. Many items were donated, while others were purchased. Beautifully designed, the book's intriguing color photos shine from the bright pages. These illustrations include photos showing the museum's construction and many spotlighting noteworthy photographs, documents, and artifacts, such as a black soldier's powder horn from the American Revolution, a railway passenger car from the Jim Crow era, a biplane flown by the Tuskegee Airmen, the ensemble worn by Marian Anderson at her Lincoln Memorial performance, and an Obama campaign banner. A well-organized and informative book introducing this significant new historical center.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)