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Vann Newkirk, “How a Museum Reckons with Black Pain” (2016)
The Atlantic

Vann Newkirk, “How a Museum Reckons with Black Pain” (2016)

“The Smithsonian’s new memorial of African American history and culture is at once triumphant and crushing.”

[…]

“The descent and ascent achieve an effect similar to Dante’s harrowing journey in Inferno, and the walk upwards through Reconstruction, Redemption, the civil-rights movement, and into the present day is a reminder of the constant push and pull of horror and protest.”    —Vann R. Newkirk II, “How a Museum Reckons with Black Pain,” The Atlantic (September 23, 2016)

Contributed by Pamela Montanaro

Sighting Citation:

“Vann Newkirk, “How a Museum Reckons with Black Pain” (2016).” Dante Today: Citings and Sightings of Dante’s Works in Contemporary Culture. Elizabeth Coggeshall and Arielle Saiber, eds. September 25, 2016. https://www.dantetoday.org/sightings/vann-newkirk-how-a-museum-reckons-with-black-pain-2016/.

Creator: Vann Newkirk

Year Created: 2016

Location: Washington D.C., United States

History US History Places Museums Politics Civil Rights Protests Dante's Name 2016 United States Washington D.C. Visual Arts Sculpture Statues Written Word Inferno
Posted September 25, 2016
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