We Need a Multicultural Perspective on History

Museums are always looking for a way to attract new patrons and make history new and exciting. What I recommend is not a singular exhibit but an imaginative approach to presenting historical events in the museum. I propose that the best and most innovative way to engage patrons is to present historical information from as many different cultural perspectives as possible. Specifically by examining and displaying the same historical event from the vantage points of several diverse cultures.

I will explore a few example exhibits to show case how "Perspectives" would work. Slavery can be examined format least three perspectives. The first is that of the Africans who were stolen from their villages and sold to slave traders. The many tribes of Africa contributed to the overall culture of what it is to be African. Examples of African song, dance, art, and the written and spoken stories all can be displayed to illustrate how they lived on the African continent. The first generation slaves can also be examined after they were transplanted to their new homes. We can explore how they adapted and maintained their traditions as their "owners" fought to suppress any unifying culture between their slaves. The second perspective is that of the slave traders; the men who were willing to purchase other humans to resell those slaves in a foreign land. We can examine their motives both good and bad and see them as people just trying to make it the best they know how. We can display blueprints for the slave ships as well as background on where the majority of the traders docked and spent their leisure time. The third perspective is that of the north and south American plantation owners. These men believed that the only way to have a successful farm was to have cheap labor. Since many of them believed that the African man was inferior they were able to justify enslavement. Interestingly enough, if the plantation owners had taken the time to learn about the African culture they might have realized how advanced their slaves culture was. Obviously there are many other viewpoints that can be examined. For example, those who believed slavery was wrong, even in the beginning, by examining historical events from the perspective of different cultures can open the mind to a more inclusive way of thinking.

Another exhibit can focus on WWII; because of the many countries involved this event can be looked at through countless different perspectives. Of course we have the Allies perspective, both collectively and as individual countries. England stood bravely in the face of Hitler and endured nightly bombings. The peoples of England, led at the time by the power of Winston Churchill were strong willed and determined to overcome the Nazis. The Americans came in the war late with guns a-blazing after being attacked in Hawaii by Japan. France was occupied by the Nazi forces for most of the war. We can examine the effect on French culture as well as the resistance that fought bravely against the occupying army. The Japanese culture can and must be viewed from two sides. The Japanese who lived in Japan and fought openly and tenaciously against the United States had a list of injustices and a need for alternative resources. The other side of the perspective is that of the Japanese Americans who lived and were loyal to the United States. Hundreds of thousands of japans American citizens were rounded up and sent to horrifying internment camps; simply because of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Many were proven innocent and released and some received reparation years later but what the United States did to Asian immigrants was racist and based on fear. The German perspective is complex and not as black and white as many historians would have you believe. There were of course those who chose to blindly follow Hitler, but what about those who fought against him and his unbeatable socialist party. The country had been torn apart during WWI and was in the process of rebuilding when Hitler came into power. Many German citizens were desperate for change and took out their frustrations on the Jewish (as well as the other "undesirables" such as homosexuals, gypsies etc.) How did the Jewish who escaped concentration camps view what was happening in their country? For those who were placed in concentration camps, what did they do to persevere? What a difficult thing it must be to see all you have, including your dignity and basic human right to life, taken from you because of your religious beliefs.

To achieve the movement through viewpoints the exhibit will need a long corridor or a sprawling layout in one of the show rooms. Guests can be immersed in a different culture every few steps. We can use poster displays to give facts and background and display artifacts from each culture during the time period. Potentially museum goers can develop a broader perspective in their world view. The role of multicultural education shouldn't end when we leave the classroom. I believe that its fear, of the unknown and of that which is different, that causes a large majority of the conflict present in the world today and throughout history. By trying to understand how each side of the story was perceived and understood by the people involved we get a more accurate idea of what really happened. History, after all, is a compilation of available evidence theorized into an explanation of the event. Presenting an understanding of more than one view is the first step in creating world tolerance.