Pack your bags and a pair of good walking shoes. The AFAM Studies Program is going to Washington, D.C for Fall Break this October 10 - 13, 2019. Faculty, staff and students will visit the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), The Frederick Douglass National Historical Site, The Martin Luther King Jr. historical site and a host of other landmarks in the nation’s capital.

A small group of faculty and staff took an advance trip last October to lay the groundwork for this year’s visit. Joining Qiana Whitted, director of AFAM Studies, were Nancy Tolson, AFAM Studies assistant director, Salandra Bowman, Seulghee Lee, Birgitta Johnson, AFAM Studies faculty, and Frenche Brewer, public relations coordinator. The main focus of the trip was to see and explore the amazing NMAAHC, which did not disappoint. From bottom to top (which is how it’s recommended you see the mammoth number of exhibits), the displays, stories and physical exhibits are moving, and at times overwhelming, but leave visitors awed by the awesomeness of it all.

"This experience will invite students to engage with the captivating, challenging, enlightening, enraging, awe-inspiring affirmations of African American life and history that they’ve been taught and tested on. It also provides an opportunity for students to develop new interests in African American history and culture,” Bowman said. In addition to the NMAAHC tour, we were almost as bowled over by the visit to the historic Frederick Douglas House, due in part to our tour guide whose pride shown through as he walked us around the home. 

The AFAM Studies Program is currently engaged in fundraising efforts to support the trip to Washington, D.C so that our students can tour these historic sites, and lay eyes on some of the history they’ve read about in class. Save the dates: October 10 - 13, 2019!