Introduction

This introductory chapter sets out the issues and questions that the remainder of the book tackles. It begins by outlining the book’s two central themes: the emergence of ‘culturally specific’ or ‘culturally focused’ museums as a form of Black empowerment and the racial ideas reproduced over time in response to such symbols of empowerment in ways that work to sustain White supremacy. The Smithsonian Institution is introduced as an extended case study, which offers both a unique history of the production of racial ideas and an example of international relevance. This chapter briefly charts the evolution of racial ideas - drawing in particular on Kendi’s work (2016) - and museum practices over time. It then historicises the significance of museums for rights movements and wider calls for self-definition. This chapter discusses the positionality of the author as a White academic to the subject at hand, noting the presence of ongoing Whiteness within both the museum sector internationally and the academy. Finally, the shape of the book is described and the main findings highlighted: namely, a long-standing preference for integration at the expense of cultural specificity and a tendency towards colourblindness within the professional sector.