The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture’s April programming is filled with events both in person and virtual.
On Friday, there will be the “Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures” which is artistic in presentation with Ekphrastic poetry. Ekphrastic poetry responds to a work of visual art-generally a painting, object, sculpture, or photograph. The event will take place at the Oprah Winfrey Theater from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
On April 16, noted plant stylist Hilton Carter will come to the museum to celebrate the release of his new book, “Living Wild: How to Plant Style Your Home and Cultivate Happiness.” There will be a discussion on the book that will be moderated by Denise Robinson Simms, the museum’s associate director for external affairs. The program will start at 2 p.m. at the Oprah Winfrey Theater.
On April 17, the museum will celebrate the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act which freed 3,000 enslaved individuals in the nation’s capital, by inviting city residents and surrounding areas to the facility for a day filled with performances and activities. The Sweet Home Café will feature a special District Day menu. The events kick off at 10 a.m.
On April 18, a book, “Caregiver Conversations: Identity, Justice, and Activism in Childhood”, will be discussed virtually by author Tiffany Jewell and moderators Ali Kamanda and Jorge Redmond. The event will take place from 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
All the aforementioned events are free but registration is required.
Noted Chef Jonny Rhodes of Food Fight and Broham Soul Food & Groceries and Dr. Ashley Young, historian of the American Food History Project at the museum, for a cooking demonstration and lively discussion about the stories food can tell of how communities intersected in the past at a virtual session on April 29. Registration is $20 and meal kit ingredients will be shipped frozen overnight to participants.
For more information, go to nmaahc.si.edu or call 202-633-1000.