University of Mary Washington Eagle Scholar Student Research Submissions 4-26-2021 “Interrupt the status quo”: How Black Lives Matter Changed American Museums Jessica Lynch Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.umw.edu/student_research Part of the American Studies Commons Recommended Citation Lynch, Jessica, "“Interrupt the status quo”: How Black Lives Matter Changed American Museums" (2021). Student Research Submissions. 397. https://scholar.umw.edu/student_research/397 This Honors Project is brought to you for free and open access by Eagle Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Research Submissions by an authorized administrator of Eagle Scholar. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. “Interrupt the status quo”: How Black Lives Matter Changed American Museums Jessica Lynch AMST 485 Dr. Erin Devlin April 26, 2021 1 Abstract Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 were the catalyst for change in many institutions, particularly in museum collections and interpretive methods. This was especially true in museums located in Washington, District of Columbia; Atlanta, Georgia; Portland, Oregon; Los Angeles, California, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Prior to the protests, most art and history museums upheld a Eurocentric worldview that diminished the contributions of Black Americans. Widespread Black Lives Matter protests, however, forced the discussion of racial equality to the forefront of the American consciousness, encouraging many museums to take a public stance and incorporate Black collective memory into their collections. This thesis analyzes case studies from five American cities that show how museums have utilized the Black Lives Matter Movement’s momentum to create new content for the public. “I hereby declare upon my word of honor that I have neither given nor received unauthorized help on this work.” -Jessica Lynch 2 “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” --Desmond Tutu Few sectors of public life have avoided the reach of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.