Note: All submitted events must be approved before they appear in the calendar.
NMAAHC Kids: Classroom ConnectionsMarch 8, 10, 22 and 24; 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. ET
Classroom Connections experiences are live virtual school programs designed for kindergarten, first- and second-grade classes. Led by a NMAAHC educator, each 45-minute session per school class includes engaging conversations about history and objects from the museum collection, an interactive story time and an art project. Each class will receive a list of accessible supplies needed for the session. The programs are free; however, registration is required.
Digital Docent Roundtable: “Reckoning: Protest. Defiance. Resilience.”
Monday, March 14; 1 p.m.–2:15 p.m. ET
A panel of museum docents discuss their favorite works of art in one of the museum’s latest exhibitions, “Reckoning: Protest. Defiance. Resilience.,” and share reflections that range from defiance to resilience, grief to mourning and hope to change. The exhibition is a testament to how artists and photographers use their voices to pay tribute to those lost, lifting up names such as Eric Garner, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at demonstrations and in communities online. The program can be viewed on the museum’s UStream page.
Through the African American Lens: Attica
Tuesday, March 15; 7 p.m.–8 p.m. ET
In this dynamic panel discussion, the public can learn about the history and creation of ATTICA, a powerful film by Emmy Award-winning director Stanley Nelson and co-director Traci A. Curry about the largest prison riot in American history. In 1971, a prison rebellion erupted at Attica Correctional Facility, with inmates taking 39 guards hostage and presenting a list of demands. Though most of their demands were met, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller ordered state police to regain control of the facility in what would become one of the most violent acts of citizen conflict since the Civil War. Offered by Showtime, the documentary includes archival footage from media coverage, closed-circuit video from inside the prison and firsthand accounts from those present during the riot. Nelson, Curry and James Asbury, who was an inmate at Attica Correctional Facility when the riot occurred, will convene to discuss the film as a call for prison reform and the responsibilities of justice. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, ATTICA is available to view courtesy of Showtime. Registration is recommended.
Sharing Your Story: Navigating the Community Curation Platform with Maya Rhodan
Wednesday, March 16; 12 p.m.–1 p.m. ET
In this program, Maya Rhodan of the museum’s Robert F. Smith Center discusses the Community Curation Platform, where museum visitors (in-person or online) can share their personal and community stories, images, videos and reflections. This interactive conversation will introduce the platform and show how to use it to collect and share family memories. Rhodan serves as the digital content producer for the museum’s Center for the Digitization and Curation of African American History. Registration is recommended.
Through the African American Lens: Unapologetic
Monday, March 21; 7 p.m.–8 p.m. ET
The museum will host a panel discussion of Unapologetic, a POV documentary directed by Ashley O’Shay and produced by O’Shay and Morgan Elise Johnson that gives voice to the dynamism and impact of women activists charging the Movement for Black Lives. Based in Chicago, the film follows abolitionists Janaé Bonsu and Bella BAHHS into the world of queer feminist activism, beginning with efforts to seek justice for the murder of Rekia Boyd in 2012. The film also spotlights the work of Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a flagship figure in the modern civil rights movement. Panelists will include O’Shay, Johnson, Bonsu and BAHHS. Unapologetic is free to stream on PBS through the end of February. Registration is recommended.
Historically Speaking: Civil Rights Queen by Tomiko Brown-Nagin
Tuesday, March 29; 7 p.m.–8 p.m. ET
The public can listen to a virtual conversation between NPR’s Michel Martin; Tomiko Brown-Nagin, dean of Harvard Radcliffe Institute; and Daniel P.S. Paul, professor of constitutional law at Harvard Law School, about her acclaimed biography of Constance Baker Motley, Civil Rights Queen. This book is the first major profile of Motley, an activist lawyer who became the first Black woman appointed to the federal judiciary and one of the United States’ most influential judges. Brown-Nagin’s text offers an insightful account of the twin struggles for gender equality and civil rights in the 20th century. Books will be available for purchase via Smithsonian Enterprises. Registration is recommended.
2022 NEA Jazz Masters Tribute Concert
Thursday, March 31; 10:30 p.m. ET
The National Endowment for the Arts will honor the 2022 NEA Jazz Masters including Stanley Clarke, Billy Hart, Cassandra Wilson and Donald Harrison Jr.—in a tribute concert, held in collaboration with SFJAZZ. The concert will be live streamed at arts.gov and sfjazz.org and will also be available to view on the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s website. Registration is recommended.
