Education at NMAAHC

The National Museum of African American History and Culture aspires to tell the story of America's history through an African American lens. American history is made up of many individual, yet connected stories.

Whether you found this page because you are looking for interesting things to do with your family or students or because you like learning new things, we are happy that you are here.

We hope that you leave inspired to continue learning.

Education Department Vision Statement

Upholding education to be the key to personal and societal betterment, we aspire to jumpstart creativity, to generate self-pride and to inspire life-long learning for diverse audiences.

Educator Programs

Civil War Washington D.C.: Looking for Emancipation in the Shadow of Liberty

Saturday, April 14, 2012, 9am-3:30pm

Participants will spend a day with scholars Mary Kay Ricks (author of Escape on The Pearl) and Kate Masur (author of An Example for All the Land: Emancipation and the Struggle Over Equality in Washington, D.C.). Topics of morning discussion include the principles and challenges of emancipation and the war’s impact on the nation’s capital. In the afternoon, participants will visit sites related to the history of slavery in DC such as the landing from which The Pearl embarked and the remainder of a slave pen in Virginia.

To register -- send your name, email, mailing address and contact phone number to NMAAHCEducation@si.edu; Subject line: April 14th Workshop

African American Portraits in the Collection of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery

Presented in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Join educators from the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) and the National Museum of African American History and Culture for a day-long workshop examining the portrayal of African Americans throughout American history. Discover and compare how African Americans have been and are portrayed, and how that portrayal has changed over time. Participants will explore works in the Portrait Gallery’s collection to see how the portrayal has changed over time and develop ways of using these images in classroom lessons. Teaching resources will be available.

For more information and to register, visit npg.si.edu/education/teachprog.html.