Educational Media Reviews Online

One of the titles in the series Great Museums for Social Studies, the DuSable Museum of African-American History, founded in Chicago in 1961, is committed to “preserving the history culture and achievements of African-Americans.” Named after Jean Baptiste DuSable, a Haitian fur trader and the first non-native American settler in what would become Chicago, the institution is the oldest of its type in the United States.

This video museum tour begins with the gallery “Africa Speaks,” a collection of African artifacts representing the many facets of African culture. Because most African-Americans can not pinpoint the exact location of their African ancestry, the museum presents a broad array of objects to tell the story of the continent. The collection then segues into an exhibit of African-American treasures with a gallery exhibit concentrating on fine arts.

A third exhibit is “Distorted Images: Made in the USA.” A montage of images of such stereotypes as the Gold Dust Twins [Lever Brothers soap], Aunt Jemima, and Little Black Sambo, this gallery exposes racial stereotypes and the hurt they inflict. “Distorted Images” is nicely contrasted with a photo image exhibit “Songs of My People, a picture documentary of African-American life reflecting the universals of American life—dressing for the prom, parents nurturing children, children playing.

The museum director, a board member, and a former curator provide a thoughtful narrative that celebrates the heritage of African Americans and the achievements of the famous and those whom history has ignored. Well photographed, with good sound and color quality, this DVD would be an excellent resource for secondary classroom use and of interest to the general public. Visitors to the DuSable Museum should be aware that, like most contemporary museums, the DuSable changes its exhibits on a regular basis.