USC doctoral student on grieving, celebrating SC’s history at new Smithsonian museum

Porchia Moore is a doctoral student at the University of South Carolina and a consulting curator at the Columbia Museum of Art.

Moore, who expects to graduate in May from the Cultural Heritage Informatics Leadership Librarian and McMissick Museum Management program, was invited to a preview tour at the Smithsonian’s newest museum in Washington, D.C. The museum opens this weekend.

Here, Moore talks about the visit.

How did you come to be invited to the preview tour?

Moore: I am regularly invited to present at museum and library conferences, because my research involves examining one of cultural heritage institution’s most pressing problems – the lack of active participation by diverse communities, particularly communities of color. Did you know that of the core number of museum visitors in this country, only 9 percent are people of color? My research seeks to understand these statistics. I was identified as someone helping to transform the museum field, especially via my social media impact. There is a group of us now, museum activists known as part of what I have called The Inclusive Museum Movement, that were invited. There were media outlets from around the world. It was a very humbling and exciting experience.

What was your first impression of the museum/building itself?

Moore: My first impression is that there is no mistaking that this physical structure will become a mecca for millions. It is literally designed to suggest, praise and mobility in the upward movement and shape of the building. To me, the bronze mesh design pattern resembles a crown. There is something which keenly echoes in the body when you see the museum, especially for the first time. For South Carolinians, especially those familiar with the work and artistry of blacksmith Phillip Simmons, there is a special connection and resonance with the building because the chief architect, David Adjaye, wanted to evoke the legacies of black iron workers of the South.

South Carolina is connected to several of the exhibits at the museum. Which of these South Carolina exhibits made the biggest impression on you?

Moore: This was one of the most surprising and inspirational aspects of my visit. As a descendent of those from both the Pee Dee and the Lowcountry, it was so edifying to see that we from this region and from the state are well represented. There are several exhibits which stand out for me. In the upper portion in the Community and Culture sections, there are two wonderful homages to rice culture in the Lowcountry, as well as a beautiful display of Gullah Geechee language and basket weaving. There’s an entire section devoted to the bravery of Robert Smalls. However, the most compelling exhibitions are in the lower portion of the building, which are curated to tell a complex narrative of the impact of the transatlantic slave trade. There, you can see the tremendous role that the enslaved Africans played in the creation of this nation through the rise of South Carolina as a state. Everything from those lower levels – the slave cabin, the archival images, the passages from historic diaries and other texts, the figures which tell the staggering number of enslaved Africans taken from the coast of African in the 1700s and how those numbers kept dramatically increasing – they leave an indelible mark if you are from South Carolina, as it demonstrates undeniably the role that blacks enslaved in South Carolina played in building this nation.

What did you learn about South Carolina during your visit that you didn’t know before?

Moore: What I did not know were these, unique powerful stories. While many of us celebrate and cherish our cultural heritage such as Gullah Geechee foodways (again, well represented in this museum) and basket making, but we have so much rich, archival heritage – this was celebrated in the museum. I was not aware of so many unique stories.

What’s one thing visitors to the museum shouldn’t miss?

Moore: Oh what a question! Super tough. The one thing visitors should not miss. I am not sure with the breadth and depth of the phenomenal objects and stories that this museum provides that I can say that there is a single thing that one should not miss – there are dozens. For example, an actual stone auction block, Oprah’s final show dress, Harriet Tubman’s shawl, Tupac’s diary, the actual Mothership, there’s footage of Nikki Finney’s speech from the National Book Award, too many gems to name. What I can say is that you absolutely have to plan your trip in advance. Research before you go. There are so many interactive and imersive opportunities to experience, even just the space itself, that you really need to have a game plan. It really is a two-day affair. Also, I would not miss the opportunity to eat at Sweet Home Café. The Café is designed with a full menu for each region of the country! This means that there are a dozen ways to learn more about the impact of African Americans on our nation’s foodways. I jumped in delight to see Gullah Geechee shrimp and grits on the menu featuring grits from Anson Mills. This is significant. This dish is one of the early, unique contributions by the enslaved to this nation. The menu is curated through extensive research on African American chefs, restaurateurs, and food game-changers. Dishes are re-created through historic menus, stories, and recipes. We were allowed to sample the entire menu and the food was out of this world. It will certainly be one of the focal points of the museum, this tactile, palatable way to experience the legacy of African Americans through foodways.

Anything else you’d like to tell South Carolinians about the museum?

Moore: Go! I think that given all that we have endured these last two years with the coming down of the Confederate flag and the tragic loss of those sweet souls murdered in the Emanuel (AME) shootings, this museum allows South Carolinians to both properly grieve and to celebrate. This museum honors us all here in South Carolina, especially in the Lowcountry, in ways that you cannot imagine. The entire museum is a celebration of black lives, of our cultural heritage, and a testament to the major contributions of our state to the building of this country. It sings the praises of those heroic beings from South Carolina who rose out of the bondage of enslavement and how they contributed greatly to this nation. I would also encourage readers to think about how they might contribute to the museum’s collection. What objects do you have that might add to the great stories being told at the National Museum of African American History and Culture? The museum is still seeking donations for future exhibitions. There are stories which still need to be told – let’s continue to tell them with Carolina pride.

This story was originally published September 19, 2016 at 12:49 PM with the headline "USC doctoral student on grieving, celebrating SC’s history at new Smithsonian museum."