The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture.

The Museum’s nearly 40,000 objects help all Americans see how their stories, their histories, and their cultures are shaped by A People’s Journey and A Nation’s Story.

From Harriet Tubman to Black Lives Matter, journey with us as we celebrate American history through the African American lens. #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory

Music: "$ (Remix)" D.R.A.M.

Photo Credits:

Devin Allen

‘Union Justice - I Am A Man, 1968’ Photo: Builder Levy

William Morris Smith, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

‘Albumen print of Harriet Tubman’ Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Charles L. Blockson

William Morris Smith/ Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Detroit Publishing Company/Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

‘Three Black Soldiers’ 1880 Photo: A. Miller Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University

‘Black Cavalry in Montana’ 1894 Image Courtesy of Montana Historical Society

‘Tintype of a Woman’ Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

‘Photograph of a man in a suit, vest and necktie’ Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Donated by Don L. Durrah and D. Simone Durrah Logan in memory of Hattie J. Durr Whiddon Graham (1873-1950); Christopher Columbus Wayman Whiddon (1894-1973); Lina Irene


Tintype of a Woman, Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

‘Photographic postcard of Daniel Hendricks in Masonic regalia’ Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Robin J. Boozé Miller

Russell Lee/ Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection

John Vachon/ Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection
Josephine Baker Photo Courtesy of WDR/dpa/B. Weissbrod


‘Unidentified Photographer [Unidentified Man], ca. 1940’ International Center of Photography, Gift of Daniel Cowin, 1990 (565.1990)

The Estate of Austin Hansen

‘Martin Luther King Jr. is Arrested for Loitering Outside of a Courtroom Where his Friend Ralph Abernathy is Appearing for a Trial’ Montgomery, Alabama, Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

‘Soldiers with Bayonets’ Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Howard Greenberg Gallery

Matt Herron/Take Stock/The Image Works

© Thomas Hoepker/Magnum Photos

© Bruce Davidson/Magnum Photos

‘Angeles Child’ Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Joe Schwartz and Family

‘James Baldwin and Joan Baez in Selma’ Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

© David Burnett/Contact Press Images

© Bruce Davidson/Magnum Photos

The Estate of Herman Leonard

© Bruce Davidson/Magnum Photos

‘Sidney Poitier’ Photo by Bob Adelman

© Rene Burri/Magnum Photos

‘Untitled’ Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Milton Williams Archives

Jamel Shabazz

Jamel Shabazz

Bill Bernstein

‘Run DMC’ Photo Courtesy of Ken Regan/Camera 5

Joe Conzo

‘Toni Morrison’ Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Jack Mitchell Archives

© Eli Reed/Magnum Photos

‘Photograph of Queen Latifah on the set of "Fly Girl" video shoot’ Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

‘2 of 1,000,000’ Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Roderick Terry

© Gilles Peress/Magnum Photos

© Moises Saman/Magnum Photos

Michael Appleton

‘Michelle Obama’ Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy

Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times

Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times/Redux

Photo from “Holding That Line, Part Two” Nate Larson - www.natelarson.com

Photo from “Why They Marched" Yael Malka

Dawoud Bey

Zun Lee

Zun Lee

Devin Allen

Zun Lee


Follow us on social media!

  / nmaahc  
  / nmaahc  
  / nmaahc  
  / nmaahc  
  / nmaahc  

Website: https://nmaahc.si.edu