Esther Nighbert discusses her involvement with the Anacostia Community Museum from its opening in 1967 through 1972. She describes her role and her work, including serving as a secretary for John Kinard, assisting him with editing and re-writing various publications, and the various ways she provided support to the museum. She discusses the museum's impact on the neighborhood, its relationship with the Smithsonian, and its influence nationally and internationally. She recollects various exhibits, events, youth programs, and the many individuals involved in managing, developing, and advising the museum.
The interview was conducted by Gail S. Lowe on September 1, 1992. Periodically, there is some minor background noise. The interviewee can be heard clearly throughout the recording.
Provenance:
Conducted as part of the ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project, which includes approximately 100 interviews of residents and influential people of the Anacostia area of Washington, DC.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Rowena Stewart, former Director of the African American Museum in Philadelphia, The Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, the African American Historical and Cultural Museum, and the Motown Historical Museum and the American Jazz Museum, discusses the influence the Anacostia Community Museum had in introducing African American heritage in a museum setting, in serving the Anacostia neighborhood, and in supporting other emerging African American cultural institutions in the 1960s and 1970s. She discusses meeting John Kinard, and the guidance he provided in presenting history through exhibitions and educational programs. She shares her memories of the early days of the Anacostia Museum, the effects of its move from the Carver Theater to the current location, and its ongoing influence.
The interview was conducted by Gail S. Lowe on May 11, 1992. There is background static throughout the recording, but the interview can be heard clearly.
Provenance:
Conducted as part of the ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project, which includes approximately 100 interviews of residents and influential people of the Anacostia area of Washington, DC.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Joy Ford Austin, a former Executive Director of the African American Museums Association, discusses her earliest experiences with, and her recollection of the evolution of the Anacostia Community Museum. She highlights the important role that John Kinard played in leading the Museum, and in being an original voice advocating for social responsibility in museums. She discusses the first exhibitions she recalls viewing at the museum, the Blacks in the Western Movement, and The Frederick Douglas Years exhibits. She also reflects on the purpose and influence of the museum over time.
The interview was conducted by Joanna Banks on May 16, 1992. There is some static throughout the recording, but the interviewee can generally be heard clearly.
Provenance:
Conducted as part of the ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project, which includes approximately 100 interviews of residents and influential people of the Anacostia area of Washington, DC.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Ripley, S. Dillon (Sidney Dillon), 1913-2001 Search this
Collection Creator:
Smithsonian Institution. Anacostia Community Museum Search this
Extent:
1 Video recording (open reel, 1/2 inch)
Type:
Archival materials
Video recordings
Speeches
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
United States
Date:
circa 1977
Scope and Contents:
S. Dillon Ripley introduces the opening of the new exhibition, The Anacostia Story; and speaks of the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum on its 10th anniversary and the opening of Anacostia Historical Society in 1974. John Kinard introduces Ripley as the speaker. Footage of patrons viewing exhibition and talking to each other.
Speech. Part of Anacostia Story 1608 -1930 Audiovisual Records. Undated.
Biographical / Historical:
The exhibition, The Anacostia Story, presented the history and development of Anacostia between 1608 and 1930 told through artifacts, photographs, early prints, documents and memorabilia. Well-known residents of the area, including Frederick Douglass, Elzie Hoffman, Dr. Charles Nichols, and Solomon G. Brown, were featured. The exhibition was organized by the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum and held there from March of 1977 to March 1978.
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Zora Martin-Felton discusses planning entertainment and education programs which accompany exhibits. She details programming associated with the paintings of the Harmon collection, the Sage of Anacostia exhibition, and the Young People's Festival of the Arts. Additionally, Zora discusses the evolution of programming at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum from the formation of the program planning committee into the exhibits, education, and research committee. Zora Martin-Felton, John Kinard, and another museum professional address questions during the question and answer session, which includes discussion on objects in exhibitions, particularly the role or significance of objects in an exhibition.
Presentation or discussion; question and answer session. Part of Professional Development and Museology Audiovisual Records. Undated.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
The Smithsonian Institution president, Anacostia residents, and city politicians provide remarks for the official opening of the exhibition Evolution of a Community at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum. Their speeches cover the history, purpose, and growth of the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum; an introduction to the exhibit; the role of museums, particularly the role of the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum within in the community of Anacostia and the city of Washington, D.C.; a short history of the people of Anacostia, including the establishment of Anacostia and Barry Farms; the importance of recording history for the people of a community; the present state of Anacostia; and what Anacostia will be for future generations. Recording also includes footage of exhibit displays, museums visitors, and exterior of the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum; and a musical performance by Blackstone Rangers Band.
Exhibition opening. Part of Evolution of a Community Audiovisual Records. AV003208: part 1. AV003182: part 2. AV003208: glitches/skips in video recording. Undated.
Biographical / Historical:
Evolution of a Community, an exhibit at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum from January 1972 though December 1972, presented the history of Anacostia from post-World War II to the present through photos, text, drawings, video tape programs, and a slide/tape show. Evolution of a Community Part II, also known as Anacostia Today, was on display at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum from March 1973 though July 1973. The exhibitions developed as a result oral histories collected from Anacostia residents.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV003208
General:
Title transcribed from physical asset.
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Opening: Evolution of a Community Pt. 1, Exhibition Records AV03-040, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Older residents of Anacostia share their experiences and memories growing up and living in the once tight knit community, Anacostia, to provide evidence of Anacostia's history with goal of understanding the history of the community for present and future generations and with the theory that if man does not know where he came from, he/she cannot know here he/she is, and has no direction for the future. Martha Ellis reminiscences about her work at the public schools, particularly Birney School. Ruth Duckett, Ellis' daughter, talks about her work with the youth group at the Southeast House; when it was safe to sit outside and walk down the street; the portrayal of Anacostia in the newspapers and media; successful people who grew up in Anacostia and moved to other parts of the city and country; the baseball club Anacostia ACs; and ministers and movement of churches in the area. Churches mentioned by Duckett and other residents include Macedonia Baptist Church, St. Teresa's Catholic Church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, and Campbell A.M.E. Church. Residents speak about Anacostia's rich heritage of people doing things - the craftsmen, construction workers, business people, and entrepreneurs - including sign painter, automobile painter, and artist Walter McKenzie; the fish man Mr. Chapman; the Greenwood family and their family business, Greenwood Transfer Moving and Storage Company; and the Taylor family, specifically Blakely Taylor, who were brick layers. They reminiscence about how everyone knew everyone, how everyone helped each other and the community thrive, when mothers stayed home and took care of children, when children participated in programs at the recreation center, when police had closer tie to community; and when it is so quiet, residents could hear cars go across the 11th street bridge. Residents also talk about the present: movement of people from different communities into Anacostia, younger Anacostians forced away because of zoning and no housing besides apartments, dirty streets, and violence. Overall, residents do not feel as if everything is bad in Anacostia; they just wish something would be done to fix the problems before they become worse.
Community Program. Filmed during exhibit Evolution of a Community with introduction by John Kinard (transcribed from physical asset AV003581) and moderated by Almore Dale. AV003581: Part 1. AV003088: Part 2. AV003550: Part 3, poor image quality. Part of Evolution of a Community Audiovisual Records. Dated 19720524. AV003383-3 and AV003383-4: sound only, content overlaps with video recordings, undated.
Biographical / Historical:
Evolution of a Community, an exhibit at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum from January 1972 though December 1972, presented the history of Anacostia from post-World War II to the present through photos, text, drawings, video tape programs, and a slide/tape show. Evolution of a Community Part II, also known as Anacostia Today, was on display at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum from March 1973 though July 1973. The exhibitions developed as a result oral histories collected from Anacostia residents.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV003088
ACMA AV003550
ACMA AV003383-3
ACMA AV003383-4
General:
Title transcribed from physical asset.
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Down Memory Lane, Exhibition Records AV03-040, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Representatives of the Smithsonian and the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (ANM), and those who worked closely with ANM and the community of Anacostia spoke of John Kinard's legacy, particularly his impact on community museums and African American museums nationwide. Marjorie Kinard, John's wife, spoke and represented the Kinard family at the memorial.
Event - memorial. AV002144: dated 19890914. AV001072, AV001937, and AV001938: audio only, same content, dated 19890919. AV001072: original. AV002026: audio only, very poor audio quality - audio of former recording of 'Black Musa Seminar' (transcribed from physical asset) in which John Kinard attended bleeds through distorting recording of memorial, undated.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV001072_A
ACMA AV001072_B
ACMA AV001937_A
ACMA AV001937_B
ACMA AV001938_A
ACMA AV001938_B
ACMA AV002026_A
ACMA AV002026_B
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Speakers talk about publicity, and how to promote an organization or event. Specifically, they talk about different types of media or external publicity, the difference between external publicity and internal publicity, and how to decide which type of publicity is best for a particular circumstance. Zora Martin-Felton explains the difference between a news article and a feature article, and how to develop a public relations packet. Workshop participants work together to create a public relations packet for an exhibition on George Washington Carver. John Kinard talks about George Washington Carver, making something out of nothing, and the under representation of African Americans in museum exhibits.
Workshop. Part of ACM Education Department Programs Audiovisual Records 1967-2008. Transcribed from physical asset: Tape 2 - PR Workshop, Fill-in. Undated.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
With consideration of African heritage, John Kinard spoke about American life and history, perspectives on African culture and history, and directions for the future of the museum. The lecture was part of the 60th anniversary convention for the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, which was held from October 15-19, 1975 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Conference. Dated 19751018.
General:
Title transcribed from physical asset.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
John Kinard talked about the history of African American church beginning in late 18th century; the governance of churches; rituals of the church; Richard Allen and James Varick, and the formation of the African Methodist Episcopal and African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ) churches; Nova Scotia blacks, James Walker Hood, and AMEZ in NC; and Liberia and the freedom through colonization experiment.
Lecture/discussion. Audio only. Recordings cover same topic, but might be from two separate events. AV001127: poor quality. Undated.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV001121_B
ACMA AV001127
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Panelists John Kinard of ANM, Marian Moore of Museum of African American History in Detroit, and Clifton Johnson of the Amistad Research Center in New Orleans discussed collecting artifacts of African and African American heritage. Specifically, they focused on the problems of collecting such artifacts, how the problems vary from institution to institution, and ideas to solve the problems. The panel discussion was part of the American Association of Museums (AAM) Conference in New Orleans in 1989.
Panel discussion. Audio only. Dated 1989.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV001125_B
General:
Title transcribed from physical asset.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
After visiting eight African countries and Jamaica, John Kinard provided a reflection on what he observed and learned on his trip. He talked about the government structure, geography, culture, and people of the countries he visited as well as the countries' relationships to Britain and the United States. Kinard's thoughts encompassed culture, education, economics, and politics. He emphasized the importance of identity, self image, and of knowing one's history. Other specifics of the discussion included Marcus Garvey, oppression, racial discrimination, black women and lack of rights, and corporations' influences on economics and politics.
Lunch Bag Forum. Audio only. AV001128: dated 19850607. AV001354: part II, dated 19851101.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV001128_B
ACMA AV001354
General:
Title transcribed from physical asset.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Meeting attendees discussed specifics regarding the African American Museums Association's support of the proposed creation of a black cultural and historical museum at Wilberforce, supported by the state of Ohio. They also discussed securing endorsements and congressional support for the proposed museum. John Kinard was one of the meeting attendees.
Meeting. Audio only. Undated.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV002030_B
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
John Kinard addressed questions regarding Smithsonian Institution's supervision of the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (ANM); the creation of budget and programming plans; number of temporary exhibitions; suggestions for exhibition ideas; filling the needs of the community; the audiences of ANM, the museum's exhibitions, and the museum's programs; the evolution of ANM; the ANM's focus on educational programs; and ANM's relationship to the surrounding community.
Audio only. Undated.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
On Sunday April 27, 1980, John Kinard delivered sermon titled 'Finding Calm in a Raging Sea,' and spoke of the life of Jesus. Sermon was part of a religious service, which also included music.
Religious service. Audio only. Very poor audio quality. Physical asset dated 19770123. Date on recording: 19800427.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV002027_B
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
At John Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church, located in northwest Washington, D.C., John Kinard delivered sermon titled 'Safe but Lost,' and spoke of the life of Jesus. Sermon was a part of religious service with music. Sermon titled 'The State of the Church Today' also included; this sermon was not delivered by John Kinard.
Religious service. Audio only. Dated 19760403.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV002032_B
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Museum professionals discuss methods of presenting black history in exhibits and programs at Colonial Williamsburg, race in the museum profession, and the mutual benefits the museum professionals might derive from cooperative efforts. John Kinard, Almore Dale, and Zora Martin-Felton of the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum participate in discussion. Discussion moderated by Charles Boddie.
Discussion/Meeting. Part of ACM Museum Events, PR, and Ceremonies Recordings. AV003242: part 1. AV003089: part 2. Dated 19720114.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV003089
Collection Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Dr. Leonard Jeffries talks about the challenge of blackness and the struggle for the control of the mind. He discusses systems of mutual and collective support as well as the system of exploitation originating from European and African slave trade as early as 1482. Jeffries states the challenge of blackness is to deal with the system of exploitation and the greatest control of the system which is the control of the mind. He discusses ways to break the control through a constant effort to change and resocialize our value system, and to develop a socialization process that implants positive values. Jeffries also explains the differences in the value systems of the African-Asiatic tradition and the Euro-American tradition; and provides an overview of early African and American history as related to slave trade and land settlement throughout his lecture. Introduction by John Kinard.
Lecture. Part of ACM Museum Events, PR, and Ceremonies Recordings. AV003079: part 1. AV003540: part 2. AV003103: part 3. Dated 19780606.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV003540
ACMA AV003103
General:
Title transcribed from physical asset.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Nominations and votes to elect members for the Bicentennial Assembly. John Kinard is present at meeting.
Meeting. Part of ACM Museum Events, PR, and Ceremonies Recordings. Meeting begins at 004817 on asset AV003055 which does not include entire meeting. [prior to 004816 consists of The Question of Funding Sources and Management]. Undated.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
