Student Art in the United States National Museum: Progressive Education on Display

Abstract

The Smithsonian Institution’s 1933 Exhibition of Works by Negro Artists included student work. This may seem unremarkable, but underlying this curatorial choice were contemporary debates over how to modernize education in Washington, D.C. In fact, the art exhibition was directly involved in an ongoing civil rights struggle. Since World War I, Washington public school administrators had been working to reform the education system by implementing models of scientific management. Many African American art teachers who trained as progressive educators found these reforms stifling and pursued other ways to realize their pedagogical ideals, such as project-based activities and community-centered lessons. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of local educators, Howard University professors, and a national network of educational leaders through the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, the 1933 exhibition put the work of progressive educators and their students on a national stage, asserting the importance of innovative teaching in African American schools.