Documenting the Black Lives Matter Movement in Baltimore through Contemporary Collecting: An Initiative of the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Immediately following the social unrest in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2015, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington, D.C., began acquiring artifacts and archival materials associated with the city’s social protest and civic engagement activities. This article provides an overview of that collecting initiative, which involved coordination among curatorial staff to determine what, where, and how much to collect. Moreover, the acquisitions were informed by adherence to a guiding principle that connects objects to the human experience. Exploring the purpose and guiding principle of the Museum’s initiative and its collecting rationale and strategy, this article illustrates some practical considerations and reliable approaches to “rapid response” collecting. NMAAHC acquired contemporary objects in response to a crisis or current event involving extreme tension and strife. The bulk of these objects is intended for use in exhibitions in the distant, rather than the immediate, future. The article also includes a list of recommendations for acquiring materials associated with contemporary, sometimes intensely debated, social, and political issues. Information detailed in this article can contribute to the development of a sustained working model that rests on sound acquisition principles, policies, and practices among museums and museum organizations.