I've been holding on to these thoughts for a while now because I haven't really had time to formally express my concern with all that is wrong with what is claimed to be the National Civil Rights museum. Granted Memphis has history. MLK was shot at the Lorraine Motel in downtown Memphis. Using that hotel as a landmark, it was turned into a museum which now claims -- in the very title -- to be a national site for collecting and displaying injustices of those who should be treated equal.
Mission:
The National Civil Rights Museum, located at the Lorraine Motel, the site of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination, chronicles key episodes of the American civil rights movement and the legacy of this movement to inspire participation in civil and human rights efforts globally, through our collections, exhibitions, and educational programs.
Lets begin. Upon walking though the door, I was quickly ushered into a short film. However intriguing, I questioned the museum's claim to fully represent. Shortly after the film, I was herded, with very little organization, into the exhibit area. Crowed around massive texts, the only things to look at were verbose descriptions of historical black events in US history. Although interesting in its own right, I also found it intriguing standing between the heads and shoulders of other whites whose appearance at the museum that day seems to represent more guilt bestowed upon by their forefathers than their true interest in black history.
However there was mention of civil rights to include all types which make up humanity: women's rights, gay rights, etc.? How interesting that they chose the word "inspires" in their mission statement to cover their inadequacies. This museum is nothing more than a historical account of the African-American American history, and NOT that which adequately portrays the civil rights of other injustices within our American culture. Overall, this museum content was good, but the experience was boring and dry. There weren't many exhibits and those that were there (MLK's hotel room) failed to follow through on the global picture of the specific event that took place on the infamous April 4th. Never did the exhibit express or address his shooter or theories on who killed him. Are we not missing the point by displaying his final moments, but then ignoring the key in how we got to that moment? Ah! but perhaps that is the point! The museum wants all who visit to notice the injustices of one culture. MLK represents that culture, his nebulous shooter represents the white man shrouded in white sheets unable to be defined, but something to fear.
This museum title and the careful wording within the mission statement enables the museum to garner more city, state and federal funding than perhaps should be granted under such a premise. If the museum title claims to be national, does that not then imply certain inalienable rights to ALL who live in the American culture? The right for their story to be heard no matter what color their skin may be, gender or sexual orientation?
