Since 1976, February has officially been recognized as Black History Month in the United States. And in 1977, the California African American Museum was founded here in Los Angeles.
- California African American Museum was opened in 1977
- Naima Keith is a Deputy Director at CAAM
- She feels strong connection to the museum and its exhibits
For over four decades, the museum has shared art collections and important works by African Americans from across the United States with Angelenos.
Naima Keith is a Deputy Director and Chief Curator of Exhibitions and Programs at the California African American Museum - also known as CAAM. Today, she's walking through exhibitions she recently helped curate and reflecting on why she loves what she does.
“The honor for me in working at the California African American Museum and thinking about art and culture every day is really being able to show the complexity of what African American creatives are able to do," said Keith.
While CAAM is where she works, it's also like a second home to this native Angeleno.
“I felt a real sense of pride to be able to come back to the California African American Museum that I grew up coming to," said Keith. "My mom actually was on the board many many years ago. And when I was a kid she would bring me to the museum all the time to see various programming."
Attendance at the museum has increased over 50 percent in the last two years. Thanks in part to unique art ranging from real gold nuggets found during the California gold rush, to ancient African masks, and even a baseball cap lined in gold.
One of Keith's goals has been to bring more contemporary art programming to the museum, like this expansive installation that covers the entire lobby by world renowned L.A. artist Gary Simmons, called Fade to Black.
She reads some of the titles, “The Bronze Buckaroo,The Juke Joint and Bubbling Over are all film titles from African American early 20th century films,” said Keith.
Another goal was to bring history exhibitions that are a lot more focused on a particular time period like the current California Bound: Slavery on the New Frontier.
“For this exhibition, we’re really just focusing on California and a two-decade period that will allow us to do kind of a deeper dive into the stories of California residents that lived here under slavery and as former slaves," she said.
She walks through the various displays and talks to History Curator Tyree Boyd-Pates and Assistant History Curator Taylor Bythewood-Porter. The exhibit has been set up in a way that allows visitors to sit down, reflect and even write down comments about what they're seeing.
They walk over to a wall lined with multi-colored cards and Naima picks one and reads it aloud.
“This one says we've come a long way, but we still got a long way to go. Hashtag Black Lives Matter. Hashtag black excellence.”
For Keith, job fulfillment comes on a daily basis.
“I often kind of walked the galleries and overheard conversations about what do you think that is, or that use of color is interesting or that something that looks like me. That's what brings me real joy, is when I see visitors really connected with the work that I also feel very passionate about.”
The museum’s permanent collection houses 4,000 objects that include historical objects, modern and contemporary art, print materials, and mixed-media artworks. There are currently five major exhibitions at the museum, as well as a number of workshops and special events. You can find out more by going to: caamuseum.org
Since 1976, February has officially been recognized as Black History Month in the United States. And in 1977, the California African American Museum was founded here in Los Angeles. For over 4 decades the museum has shared art collections and important works by African Americans from across the United States with Angelenos.
Naima Keith is a deputy director of exhibitions and programs at the California African American Museum - also known as CAAM. Today she's walking through exhibitions she recently helped curate.
“The honor for me in working at the California African American Museum and thinking about, you know, art and culture every day is really being able to show the complexity of what African American creatives are able to do.”
While CAAM is where she works, it's also like a second home to this native Angeleno.
“I felt a real sense of pride to be able to come back to the California African American Museum that I grew up coming to. My mom actually was on the board many many years ago. And when I was a kid she would drag me to the museum.”
Attendance at the museum has increased over 50% in the last two years. Thanks to unique art ranging from real gold nuggets found during the California gold rush to ancient African masks, even a baseball cap lined in gold. One of her goals has been to bring more contemporary art programming to the museum, like this expansive installation that covers the entire lobbied by world renowned la artists to Gary Simmons.
She reads some of the titles, “The bronze buckaroo, the Juke Joint and bubbling over are all film titles from African American early 20th century films.”
Another goal was to bring history exhibitions that are a lot more focused on a particular time period like the current California Bound: Slavery on the New Frontier. “For this exhibition, we’re really just focusing on California and two decade period that will allow us to do kind of a deeper dive into the stories of California residents that lived here under slavery and as former slaves.” She walks through the various displays and talks to History Curator Tyree Boyd-Pates and Assistant History Curator Taylor Bythewood-Porter. This exhibit has been set up in a way that allows visitors to sit down, reflect and even write down comments about what they're seeing. They walk over to a wall lined with multi-colored cards and Naima picks one and reads it. “This one says we've come a long way, but we still got a long way to go. Hashtag Black Lives Matter. Hashtag black excellence.”
For Naima, job fulfillment comes on a daily basis. “I often kind of walked the galleries and overheard conversations about what do you think that is, or that use of color is interesting or that something that looks like me that's what brings me real joy is when I see visitors really connected with the work that I also feel very passionate about.”
The museum’s permanent collection houses 4,000 objects that include historical objects, modern and contemporary art, print materials, and mixed-media artworks. There are currently 5 major exhibitions at the museum, as well as a number of workshops and special events. You can find out more by going to: CAAMUSEUM.ORG
Since 1976, February has officially been recognized as Black History Month in the United States. And in 1977, the California African American Museum was founded here in Los Angeles. For over 4 decades the museum has shared art collections and important works by African Americans from across the United States with Angelenos.
Naima Keith is a deputy director of exhibitions and programs at the California African American Museum - also known as CAAM. Today she's walking through exhibitions she recently helped curate.
“The honor for me in working at the California African American Museum and thinking about, you know, art and culture every day is really being able to show the complexity of what African American creatives are able to do.”
While CAAM is where she works, it's also like a second home to this native Angeleno.
“I felt a real sense of pride to be able to come back to the California African American Museum that I grew up coming to. My mom actually was on the board many many years ago. And when I was a kid she would drag me to the museum.”
Attendance at the museum has increased over 50% in the last two years. Thanks to unique art ranging from real gold nuggets found during the California gold rush to ancient African masks, even a baseball cap lined in gold. One of her goals has been to bring more contemporary art programming to the museum, like this expansive installation that covers the entire lobbied by world renowned la artists to Gary Simmons.
She reads some of the titles, “The bronze buckaroo, the Juke Joint and bubbling over are all film titles from African American early 20th century films.”
Another goal was to bring history exhibitions that are a lot more focused on a particular time period like the current California Bound: Slavery on the New Frontier. “For this exhibition, we’re really just focusing on California and two decade period that will allow us to do kind of a deeper dive into the stories of California residents that lived here under slavery and as former slaves.” She walks through the various displays and talks to History Curator Tyree Boyd-Pates and Assistant History Curator Taylor Bythewood-Porter. This exhibit has been set up in a way that allows visitors to sit down, reflect and even write down comments about what they're seeing. They walk over to a wall lined with multi-colored cards and Naima picks one and reads it.“This one says we've come a long way, but we still got a long way to go. Hashtag Black Lives Matter. Hashtag black excellence.”
For Naima, job fulfillment comes on a daily basis. “I often kind of walked the galleries and overheard conversations about what do you think that is, or that use of color is interesting or that something that looks like me that's what brings me real joy is when I see visitors really connected with the work that I also feel very passionate about.”
The museum’s permanent collection houses 4,000 objects that include historical objects, modern and contemporary art, print materials, and mixed-media artworks. There are currently 5 major exhibitions at the museum, as well as a number of workshops and special events. You can find out more by going to: CAAMUSEUM.ORG