A Black history exhibition had its invitation rescinded by Texas State University due to the “current climate” within the state and “certain topics covered as part of the museum,” according to university officials. TSU previously listed an anti-DEI law as part of the reasons why the exhibit wasn’t approved, but officials later said the law did not affect their decision.
What is the Black History 101 Mobile Museum?
The Black History 101 Mobile Museum was founded and curated by Khalid el-Hakim, a former middle school teacher who wanted to remedy what he saw as a lack of Black history in K-12 textbooks and curriculum. The traveling exhibition, which has existed for 30 years, aims to teach lesser-known Black history from Ancient Egypt to today. El-Hakim has collected over 15,000 artifacts as part of the exhibition, which range from shackles from U.S. slavery times to dolls and Egyptian artifacts.
The museum has traveled to over 1,000 institutions, including elementary schools, universities and corporations across 43 states. It’s the first time the exhibition was disinvited from an institution, el-Hakim told The Austin American-Statesman.
“These are now considered things that make people feel uncomfortable, but at the end of the day, it’s nothing but American history,” he said about the collection. “This is a college campus, and this is where students should be learning about history.”…