Class is in Session:
Khalid el-hakim and Black History 101 Museum
Interview by Danielle Phillips

I met Khalid el-hakim at the Redd Apple Gallery downtown Detroit. There was a debate going on about Hip Hop’s current state. I spoke loudly from Camouflage Magazine’s perspective.

Khalid was silent but closely observed the various personalities and listened to the opinions that bounced off the walls and into the ears of anyone who’d listen. Although Khalid was silent, I knew he had so much to say. Experience and knowledge perforated through his demeanor and spoke louder than any voice or opinion expressed that night.

When Khalid speaks, he provokes thought in those around him with his collection of ideas and history. Khalid was inspired to make history, tangible. While a student at Ferris State University, his professor, Dr. David Pilgrim, an avid collector of racist memorabilia started a museum called the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia.
“My first piece was a little figurine of a black boy sitting on a pot, eating watermelon.  I picked it up in a gas station in the Tennessee on my first trip down South 1991.

“Since 1994 I’ve been employed as a teacher. For the past 10 years, I’ve taught Social Studies in the Detroit Public Schools.  I know from first hand experience that our youth have not been exposed to the history of the Black experience.  They have mainly been taught fragments of history from slavery and the civil rights era.  For many of our youth, there is no sense of pride about who they are.  They see no connection between the legacy of our people and their current condition.  So, the main purpose of the Black History 101 Mobile Museum is to teach people about the achievements, contributions, and struggles of African Americans by exposing people to rare museum quality artifacts.”

The mobile museum birthed from the idea of providing people access to a museum who will not otherwise visit cultural centers. “In many urban areas, people especially the youth don’t have access to museums.  And consequently, many museums are having a hard time attracting people on a consistent basis to their institutions.  So, the Black History 101 Mobile Museum is going right to the neighborhoods!”

Over 1500 artifacts are a part of the collection dating from the slave era to current Hip Hop culture. The artifacts represent music, movies, sports, civil rights, Black Power, literature, racist memorabilia and pop culture of the Black experience. Some of the rare pieces include letters written by Booker T Washington, Hon. Elijah Muhammad, Ralph Bunche and Rosa Parks.

“The Black History 101 Mobile Museum will be in various neighborhoods in the Spring 2008.  It will be on the Heidelberg Project at least once a week.  It will also have weekly open hours at the Artist Village in the spring.  We have had several invitations to travel to colleges and universities around the country.”

Khaild and Black History 101 Mobile Museum have a busy schedule ahead.
“I have recently been invited to do a Hip Hop exhibit at the Brotherhood/Sister Sol organization in Harlem.  I’ve also been invited to U of M-Ann Arbor in the spring.  I’m working on Black History Month lecture tours with Professor Griff of Public Enemy and Brother J of X Clan. I’ve accepted a co-chair position to organize the 40th anniversary of the 1968 Olympics Black Power protest of Tommy Smith and John Carlos.  This commemoration is sponsored by the Robert Shumake Relay Races in April 2008.”

There are several ways people can contribute to the success
of the Black History 101 Mobile Museum.

• Spread the word of Black History 101 Mobile Museum’s existence.
• Visit Black History 101 when it is in your neighborhood. 
• Contribute to the cause financially. 
• In neighborhoods, there is no fee, however, you can give monetary donations or purchase merchandise such as books and t-shirts.

There is a fee for the museum to come to K-12 schools,
religious institutions, cultural events, festivals, and colleges.
There are also opportunities for corporate sponsorship.
For more information on the Black History 101 Mobile Museum contact Khalid el-Hakim at 313 645-4197 or via email at:
newrisingsun99@yahoo.com or www.myspace.com/blackhistory101

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