Black History Month starts in February and to kick things off, a traveling exhibition is making a stop at the East Lansing Public Library Monday, January 30th.
The Black History 101 Mobile Museum has a collection of more than 10,000 original artifacts of Black memorabilia and has traveled to 41 states around the country.
The museum will be at the library free and open to the public on Monday from 10 am to 3 pm At noon, the museum’s founder Khalid el-Hakim will give a talk about the history of hip hop.
WKAR’s Sophia Saliby spoke with Phyllis Thode, the community development and volunteer coordinator for the library, about the museum’s visit.
Interview Highlights
On the artifacts the museum has
Khalid el-Hakim is a curator of the museum, and he has traveled the country to bring historical artifacts that you can actually, some you can touch. Some you can just look at. But for example, he has the actual tool that was used to hurt John Lewis in the 60s. And he’s got it there to see, and John Lewis actually came to our library. So, to see John Lewis in person and know that this instrument was used to harm him was very moving.
On something surprising Thode experienced during the museum’s previous visits to the library
One of the things that really impacted me was the first and second times we had the museum, students from East Lansing schools came. And I was surprised at how little they knew about some of the events that happened. And that Khalid was able to take them back in time and show them, “This was an advertisement that played on television that was very racially inappropriate.” And for kids to actually see their reactions and see the visceral way that it affected them was very powerful.
Interview Transcript
Sophia Saliby: Black History Month starts Wednesday and to kick things off, a traveling exhibition is making a stop at the East Lansing Public Library on Monday.
The Black History 101 Mobile Museum has a collection of more than 10,000 original artifacts of Black memorabilia and has traveled to 41 states around the country.
Phyllis Thode is the community development and volunteer coordinator for the library. She joins me now. Thank you for being here.
Phyllis Thode: Thanks for having me.
Saliby: Can you tell me a bit more about this museum?
[Khalid el-Hakim] just has an amazing collection of either signatures or memorabilia that travel through the states for him to visit libraries, museums and other places.
Thode: Khalid el-Hakim is a curator of the museum, and he has traveled the country to bring historical artifacts that you can actually, some you can touch. Some you can just look at. But for example, he has the actual tool that was used to hurt John Lewis in the 60s. And he’s got it there to see, and John Lewis actually came to our library.
So, to see John Lewis in person and know that this instrument was used to harm him was very moving. And he just has an amazing collection of either signatures or memorabilia that travel through the states for him to visit libraries, museums and other places.
Saliby: Why did you want to bring it to the East Lansing Public Library for patrons to see the museum?
Thode: Our library is so much more than just books. And while Black History Month is something that should be studied every month, February is the time to highlight it. And this seemed like the best way possible to bring attention to things that happen in Black history and for Khalid to also talk about the effects that some of these things had on America and what happened in the 60s and beyond.
Saliby: As you mentioned, you’ve seen the museum during your previous visits to the library. Was there anything else that you were really surprised to learn when you were there?
Our library is so much more than just books. And while Black History Month is something that should be studied every month, February is the time to highlight it.
Thode: One of the things that really impacted me was the first and second times we had the museum, students from East Lansing schools came. And I was surprised at how little they knew about some of the events that happened.
And that Khalid was able to take them back in time and show them, “This was an advertisement that played on television that was very racially inappropriate.” And for kids to actually see their reactions and see the visceral way that it affected them was very powerful.
Saliby: What do you hope people will learn from the museum regardless of age or experience and knowledge of Black history?
Thode: I hope they’ll see that we still have a ways to go. That we you know, some of the things like the “colored only” or “white only” signs are not a thing that’s out there right now, but there’s still ways that we can learn and grow in how we treat each other.
Saliby: And do you have any books you’d recommend if people want to learn about Black history maybe nationwide, but also in Michigan?
Thode: Absolutely. We are putting a book list on our website, which is www.elpl.org, and you can click on that and there’s lots of book recommendations that will feature Black history and Michigan Black history.
Saliby: Phyllis Thode is the community development and volunteer coordinator for the East Lansing Public Library.
The Black History 101 Mobile Museum will be at the library on Monday from 10 am to 3 pm Thank you for joining me.
Thode: Thanks so much.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.