The book event is the highlight of an lively November programming schedule that also features a program on African American feminism with Beverly Guy-Sheftall
and Treva Lindsay, an intimate conversation with former national security adviser and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice and an interactive program on how economic and social inequities negatively affect the health
of communities of color in the latest installment of the program series, A Seat at the Table.
All programs held in the museum’s Oprah Winfrey Theater will stream live on the
museum’s Ustream channel at
ustream.tv.
November Programming
Lectures & Discussion:
Is Womanist To Feminist As Purple Is To Lavender?: African American Women Writers and Scholars Discuss Feminism
Saturday,
Nov. 2; 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Oprah Winfrey Theater)
Inspired by Alice Walker’s expression on feminism,
Is Womanist To Feminist As Purple Is To Lavender?
African American Women Writers and Scholars Discuss Feminism refers to a quotation taken from her seminal anthology of essays,
In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens: Womanist Prose. In the piece, Walker gave name to the idea of the importance of theorizing feminism from an African American perspective.
Through performance and discussion, the program will explore feminism and womanism in contemporary African American women’s intellectual and literary thought
featuring Beverly Guy-Sheftall, a pioneering veteran of the field of African American feminism, and Treva Lindsey, a leading representative of the contemporary generation of feminist scholars. Before and after the discussion, two dynamic poetry performers,
Holly Bass and Venus Thrash, will explore feminism creatively. The program will end with an audience Q&A and book signing.
Admission is free; however, registration is required at
https://nmaahc.si.edu/event/upcoming.
Sunday, Nov. 3; 6:45 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Heritage Hall)
The museum will host a thought-provoking conversation on racial disparities in health outcomes in this latest installment of the A Seat at the Table program series.
Cindy George of Texas Medical Center’s TMC Pulse magazine will moderate a discussion between
National Medical Association Director Martin Hamlette and
University of Maryland Professor Craig Fryer about how economic and social inequities negatively impact the health outcomes of communities of color. After the presentation, audience participants will have the opportunity to
share their stories and ideas on ways of improving their health and the health of their communities. A Seat at the Table is an interactive program for participants to consider challenging questions about race, identity and economic justice over a family-style
meal. To purchase tickets and to learn about the latest installment of A Seat at the Table, visit
https://nmaahc.si.edu/event/upcoming.
Lectures & Discussion: We Return Fighting: World War I and the Shaping of Modern Black Identity
Thursday, Nov. 7; 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Oprah Winfrey Theater)
Ahead of Veterans Day, the museum will host a public program on the its latest book:
We Return Fighting: World War I and the Shaping of Modern Black Identity.
Through essays and photos, the book
tells the stories of how black soldiers fought a war abroad and came home to combat racial injustices in the United States. Copies of the book will be available in Heritage Hall.
For ticket information and more details on the book event, visit
https://nmaahc.si.edu/event/upcoming.
Cinema at NMAAHC: WAVES
Sunday, Nov. 10; 2 p.m. (Oprah Winfrey Theater)
The museum will host a special screening of the movie
WAVES. The film, starring Sterling K. Brown and Lucas Hedge, is set against the vibrant landscape of South Florida.
Waves traces the epic emotional journey of a suburban African American family—led by a well-intentioned but domineering father—as they navigate love, forgiveness and coming together in the aftermath of a loss. For ticket information and more details
on the book event, visit https://nmaahc.si.edu/event/upcoming.
Cultural Expressions: Mindful Eating for the Holiday
Wednesday, Nov. 13; 7 p.m. (Oprah Winfrey Theater)
To kick-off the holiday season, the museum will host a panel discussion on how we all can eat healthier during the holidays. With Thanksgiving around the corner,
many Americans gather with friends and family to feast on good food. Foods enjoyed by African Americans traditionally represent an important cultural touchstone during the holidays. However, many dishes, while delicious, are not always the healthiest choices.
In this program, nutritionists and food historians will discuss the history behind favorite holiday foods and how to adapt recipes using more healthful ingredients. For ticket information and more details on the book event, visit
https://nmaahc.si.edu/event/upcoming.
Saturday, Nov. 16; noon (Robert F. Smith Family History Center, Level 2)
Special guest Martha S. Jones will discuss how African Americans fought for their legal rights through the courts, conventions
and the legislative process from her award-winning book Birthright Citizens:
A History of Race & Rights in Antebellum America. With a focus on 19th-century Baltimore,
Birthright Citizens uses archival records and new scholarly research to uncover how free blacks influenced the terms of citizenship for all Americans. Jones is the Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor and a professor of history at Johns Hopkins
University. To register for the event, email familyhistorycenter@si.edu.
Tough Love: Conversation Between Susan Rice and Lonnie G. Bunch III
Tuesday, Dec. 3; 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Oprah Winfrey Theater)
Susan Rice, former national security adviser and U.S. ambassador to
the United Nations, will discuss her recently published memoir,
Tough Love. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III will be in conversation with Rice for an hour, focusing on the challenges that Rice faced while leading the National Security Agency during the Obama administration, along with pivotal moments in
her storied career. Books will be available for sale and signing courtesy of Smithsonian Enterprises.
For ticket information and more details on the book event, visit
https://nmaahc.si.edu/event/upcoming.
Historically Speaking: Pete Souza:
Obama—An Intimate Portrait new edition
Wednesday, Dec. 4; 7 p.m. (Oprah Winfrey Theater)
Famed White House Photographer Pete Souza will return to the museum to discuss an updated
edition of his renowned collection of images of 44th President Barack Obama and his family. The book,
An Intimate Portrait, will be available for sale and signing courtesy of Smithsonian Enterprises. For ticket information and more details on the book event,
https://nmaahc.si.edu/event/upcoming.
Robert F. Smith Family History Center:
The Cooking Gene: A Journey through African American Culinary History with Michael Twitty
Saturday, Dec. 14; noon (Oprah Winfrey Theater)
In this program, renowned culinary historian Michael Twitty will discuss his memoir on Southern cuisine in
The Cooking Gene: A Journey through African American Culinary History in the Old South. In his book, Twitty unlocks a treasure chest of traditions, culture and memory of 300 years of southern food history through the African American experience.
Along the way Twitty weaves the story of his own diverse family while exploring how to navigate a history of the Old South marked by discomfort and injustice, as well as triumph and legacy. The Cooking Gene is a winner of the 2018 James Beard Foundation
Award for writing and book of the year. Books will be available for sale and signing courtesy of Smithsonian Enterprises. To register for the event, email
familyhistorycenter@si.edu.