Abstract
The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), part of the Smithsonian Institution (SI) complex in Washington, D.C., is the only SI museum with a permanent music exhibition, titled Musical Crossroads. I traced the development of Musical Crossroads from the perspectives of three key figures in the exhibit’s history using narrative inquiry: Dr. Dwandalyn Reece, former curator of music and performing arts; Dr. Kevin Strait, a former curatorial assistant for the exhibition; and Ms. Hannah Grantham, a current curatorial and research assistant for NMAAHC. These narratives are bound by temporality, sociality, and place, highlighting the crux of music and museum education in the development of Musical Crossroads. I identified several common themes through their stories, including: (a) the educational, professional, and musical backgrounds of participants; (b) the themes and objectives of Musical Crossroads; and (c) the role of education in Musical Crossroads.
Recommended Citation
Folk, Christian M. and Reece, Dwandalyn
(2026)
"“If It Can Tell a Story”: The Past, Present, and Future of Musical Crossroads,"
Visions of Research in Music Education: Vol. 48, Article 8.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/vrme/vol48/iss1/8