Examining Black Narratives through Film: The National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Center for African American Media Arts

Earl W. and Amanda Stafford Center for African American Media Arts (CAAMA) is poised to be one of the world’s premier centers for research dedicated to presenting and interpreting the full range of African American cultural production. Through its online programming as well as its state-of-the-art, interactive 800 sq. ft. space located on the second floor of the museum, scholars, researchers, and the general public will have access to CAAMA’s robust collection of photography, film, video, and audio recordings as a prism to explore African American history and culture.

This presentation will highlight the efforts to build CAAMA’s film collection. Additionally, it will provide an overview of the public programming that has been developed and implemented through CAAMA. One of the primary goals of the public programming aspect of CAAMA is to connect audiences to nuanced perspectives on the African American narrative through film and utilize film as a medium to introduce visitors to the museum’s collection. Another aspect of CAAMA is to facilitate the digitization of private collections that document the African American history through personal and community lenses.