USA : Lauren Edwards (Learning on Excursions)

Learning on Excursions 

One of my favorite program excursions was our visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This museum is one of the most popular Smithsonian museums in DC, and I completely understand why. While the museum obviously focuses on African American history, it truly does follow most of American history as a whole as well. That is because, tragically, a large part of American history started with the African slave trade, which is where the museum starts. It continues to walk through the stages of history. It is a very well done museum and there are a lot of informational exhibits to look at. However, it is also a very sad and heavy museum to visit given that the history of American Americans is one that contains violence, persecution, and struggle.

Seeing some of the artifacts there from this era was difficult, and I found my experience there to be very thought-provoking. Nevertheless, I think it is an important museum because it shows a lot of the history of our country and what African Americans faced, and is something we can all learn from. When my program visited the museum, I spent about two and a half hours there because there was so much to read and look at and it was so engaging. This museum related to my course discussions because it focused on a specific historical area, and there are many institutions and policy centers who focus on African American related issues which we have discussed. I enjoyed the museum so much that I will be taking my family there as well when they come to visit after my program ends. If you are heading to DC I highly recommend you take the time to see this amazing museum!

Lauren Edwards   

Major: Political Science and Legal Studies, Certificates in Health Policy and Public Policy

Hometown: Hartland, Wisconsin

Program: Wisconsin in Washington