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Students win trip to Museum of African American History and Culture

While writing about the need for America to have museums that focus on African American history, Rebecca Doyne expressed how easy it is to feel lost without a way to discover the struggles and triumphs of the people who came before you.聽 鈥淚, as an African American, have an incredible and rich history that did not begin with bondage,鈥� said Doyne, a University of Arkansas at Little Rock senior from College Station, Arkansas. 鈥淢ost won鈥檛 know because that鈥檚 the heaviest topic covered in textbooks when it comes to general history in America.鈥� Doyne is one of eight 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students who went to Washington, D.C., after winning an essay contest to promote knowledge of African American history. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month, the Joel E. Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity held an essay contest in February in which students answered: 鈥淲hy does the United States need a National Museum of African American History and Culture?鈥� The winners include:

• 听听听听听Kennedy Butler, junior art history major from Little Rock
• 听听听听听Sean Corrothers, junior accounting major from Little Rock
• 听听听听听Rebecca Doyne, senior advertising and marketing major from College Station
• 听听听听听Ravan Gaston, sophomore political science major from Jonesboro
• 听听听听听Jarodrick Mixon, senior health and performance major from Dumas
• 听听听听听Jessica Tate, junior international studies and Spanish major from Nashville
• 听听听听听Kiahjea Ward, junior mass communications major from Little Rock
• 听听听听听Tori Williams, junior English major from Little Rock

The winners received a trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.听罢he facility is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. To date, the museum has collected more than 36,000 artifacts. During the weekend of June 2-4, Anderson Institute Director John Kirk and the students traveled to Washington, D.C., to visit the museum, the White House, the National Mall, and other sites. The group also met with Dr. Adjoa Aiyetoro, former director of the Anderson Institute and a retired 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock law professor. 鈥淭aking the students on these trips is fascinating,鈥� Kirk said. 鈥淥ut of the eight students, two had never flown before. I think the students had a great time. This essay contest gave some of them their first opportunity to go on a flight, to see a big city, to discover more about African American history, and to experience the nation鈥檚 capital city.鈥� One student winner, Kiahjea Ward, wrote about 鈥渘ot fully understanding what it meant to be black in America鈥� until her senior year of high school. Ward appreciated the chance to learn more about her heritage. 鈥淚 wrote my essay about growing up and not really knowing too much about being black,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he most interesting thing I learned about African American History is that being black isn鈥檛 a curse. Going to the museum and seeing all that we have done is definitely encouraging. No matter what, we will persevere.鈥� In the upper right photo, students who won a trip to Washington, D.C. through an essay contest with the Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Pictured, from left to right, are: Dr. John Kirk,听罢ori Williams, Jarodrick Mixon, Rebecca Doyne, Jessica Tate, Kennedy Butler, Kiahjea Ward, Ravan Gatson, and Sean Corrothers.