Difficult Histories and Museums
For this topic, read the following articles about how history museums are dealing with difficult histories in the US around the enslavement of people. Summarize the debate and include your opinion. Remember to cite your sources. Some questions to consider: How are museums attempting to revise their presentations to include a more historically accurate depiction of slavery? How are audiences responding and are people visiting or opting not to because it is too ‘difficult’ to learn about? How is this complicated by the fact that museums are often driven by ticket sales? https://www.npr.org/2017/09/13/550736172/looking-beyond-the-big-house-and-into-the-lives-of-slaves https://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2016/01/is-the-whitney-plantation-really-americas-first-slavery-museum/431448/ https://savingplaces.org/stories/five-historic-sites-with-fresh-perspectives-on-interpreting-slavery-and-freedom#.XREgKi3MzUI