The Anacostia Museum & Center for African American History and Culture

Together with local communities, the Anacostia Community Museum illuminates and amplifies our collective power.
As our neighborhoods undergo social, economic, and environmental changes that individuals alone cannot address, there is a need for communities to bring together their combined knowledge and strengths. As a museum that convenes people and ideas, ACM documents and preserves communities’ memories, struggles, and successes, and offers a platform where diverse voices and cultures can be heard. We believe that bridging disparate parts of our communities can bring collective action to bear on forging a better future together.

VISION
Urban communities activate their collective power for a more equitable future.
We envision healthy neighborhoods that are empowered to work together to solve urgent issues. As a trusted and inclusive center, the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum seeks to inspire communities to take action, and is an incubator for the next generation of civically engaged citizens. By illuminating the intersections of history, culture, and contemporary social issues affecting DC metro area communities, including where they are in flux across urban/suburban boundaries, ACM uses a local lens to tell stories that resonate nationally and globally.

VALUES
At the heart of all we do is:

Inclusivity: We believe in a diversity of ideas and opinions.

Creativity: We foster creative engagement to find solutions to problems.

Trust: We respect and rely on one another.

Empowerment: We unlock the power within ourselves to envision and build a better future.

Collaboration: We recognize our interconnectedness and share authority with our communities.

ACM is committed to:
Sharing authority with and respecting the expertise of our community collaborators
Amplifying peoples’ voices and using a local lens to tell stories that resonate nationally and globally
Fostering a sense of belonging, connection, and rootedness among DC metro area communities
Providing a platform for inclusive idea-sharing and community action
Inspiring sustained civic engagement