From Trial to Triumph: Representations of African Americans in Museum Exhibits

<p>In my dissertation, I examine contemporary exhibits about African American history and culture at six museums to explore issues of racial representation, collective identity, and cultural authority. I conduct a systematic two-part investigation of exhibition practices across Black-owned/operated and mainstream museums, one of each in three different cities (Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; and Washington, DC). First, I explore the socio-historic discourses on race as played out in the museum medium and its implications for shaping collective identity. Second, I examine the use of exhibits and other visual mediums located within museums, in the process of representation wherein these visual media symbolize social and cultural identities. This study provides a cross-cultural analysis of how the varying foci of museums shape cultural representations throughout their respective exhibition practices, which in turn fosters narratives and counter-narratives of cultural identity and cultural authority that are [re]negotiated within museums.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Sociology

Year dc:date.available

2010

Author dc:creator

• Brooms, Derrick

• Culture
• Ethnic Museums
• Identity
• Representation
• Race and Ethnicity

Repository record dc:identifier

https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss_2yr/1

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ecommons.luc.edu:luc_diss_2yr-1000