Smithsonian museums have a diverse array of material related to the history and culture of African Americans. The various specialties of each museum -art, ethnographic objects, archives, historic artifacts and photographs -are represented here. This collection is a showcase of the artifacts and works of art in other Smithsonian museums: Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution Libraries, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian American Art Museum and Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.
A National Collections Intiative of Discovery and Preservation is a collaborative effort to preserve and collect African American culture.
The purpose of the acquisitions initiative is to collect and preserve artifacts, documents, and art that reflect the history and development of the African American experience in its many aspects.