A Guide to Discussions Surrounding Ferguson

Abstract

Recent media attention on the police violence against African Americans and the protests in Ferguson, MO and Baltimore, MD have spurred museum professionals to talk more openly about the role of politics, racism, social justice, and inclusion in museums. Many of these discussions have occurred on Twitter, blog posts, and conference presentations — in the field’s “grey literature,” so known because it is found outside the academy and frequently ephemeral. Through these outlets writers have called for museums to become more inclusive, transparent, and responsive. The following guide provides a broad overview of the recent discussion of social injustice in museums written by museum professionals, public historians, and anthropologists.