Volunteers needed at NMAAHC

Kimbley Green has been a Visitor Services Volunteer since 2016.  She enjoys attending art, theater, music and cultural events.  She is the Associate Director of Gifts and Records, Advancement and Alumni Relations, George Mason University. (Photo courtesy Kimbley Green)

My late mother Emily (Emma) Green worked for Smithsonian Natural History Museum for over 25 years.  Going to her “job” as a child was like being on a playground where I could let my imagination run wild.  I’m a museum lover and have visited museums throughout North America and Egypt.

I’d been following the buzz about building the National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall since 2003 and knew I wanted to be a part of it in some way, so I became a NMAAHC Visitor Services Volunteer!

African American history and culture is of primary interest to me, and I especially love how NMAAHC preserves the heritage in its building design, galleries, and exhibits.  I enjoy being around dedicated staff and other wonderful volunteers.  As a volunteer, my greatest pleasure is welcoming visitors from all over the world into the Museum’s environment for the purpose of education and enjoyment.  I’m often asked, “where should I begin?”.  Another frequent question is, “how do I get to the bottom?” This is referencing the Slavery and Freedom Gallery that’s 70 feet below ground.

As a volunteer, I get to use my keen customer service skills to help navigate visitors’ experiences so they can learn about the history, art, artifacts, and culture. I enjoy meeting new people and when I’m working at the Welcome Desk, I always ask “where are you visiting from?”  Whether I’m stationed at the Welcome Desk or somewhere throughout the museum, I’m always happy to be a resource to visitors and respond to inquiries.  I’m also a native Washingtonian, so I assist with how to travel around the area, and other sights to visit.  I am “Ask Me”!

Written in loving memory and honor of Emily Lee (Emma) Green.

Nicole Powell is a Newark, NJ-raised and Brooklyn, NY-based scholar who loves history books, traveling, and the New York Knicks. (Photo courtesy of Nicole Powell.)

Serving as a Visitor Services volunteer at NMAAHC has been one of the most rewarding opportunities I have had in my life. Being one of the faces interacting with guests from all walks of life is a privilege, especially since many of them have waited a lifetime for a museum of this caliber.

During my volunteer shifts, I tend to spend the most time greeting guests in Heritage Hall. I enjoy helping them navigate the museum’s spaces and answering their questions about African American history. What makes this interaction so enjoyable is that the flow of information shared is not one-directional. Many guests enter NMAAHC carrying a bounty of knowledge about African American history. I have learned as much as I have shared during many of my conversations with guests.

Volunteering at NMAAHC is rewarding because of the enrichment sessions volunteers can experience. One of my favorite enrichments was visiting Cedar Hill—the home of Frederick Douglass in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, D.C. During my guided tour of the Douglass home, I learned about the abolitionist more personally. I also learned about his rarely discussed first wife, Anna Murray Douglass, who played a significant role in Douglass’ self-emancipation. I am confident that I would not have learned information about Frederick Douglass’ life without NMAAHC providing this opportunity.

Lastly, I attribute finding my passion as a historian to my volunteer experience. After volunteering for a few years, and with the support of my NMAAHC volunteer supervisors, I decided to enroll in the graduate History program at Jackson State University focusing on African American history. I know my graduate studies will make me an even more knowledgeable volunteer.

I look forward to bringing my enhanced skillset to my role.

Liz Hawkins is a former Equal Employment Specialist retired from the Federal government. She is an author of two books and enjoys photography and creating memory albums. (Photo courtesy of Liz Hawkins)

As a youth growing up in the southeast section of Washington, DC in the 1970s, I had the opportunity to frequent Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum. It was the first museum that I had ever visited that focused on African American history, community issues, local history and African American art. When the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) opened in 2016, I was nearing my retirement date from the Federal government. “What a wonderful place that would be to volunteer after I retired,” I thought. Little did I know that in less than two years, my wish to volunteer at what had been dubbed the ‘museum of dreams’ would come true.

I have been a NMAAHC volunteer, since 2018. Volunteering gives me an opportunity to connect with the community and with people from across the country. Everyday visitors from the DC area and other parts of the US come to see this amazing bronze structure that sits on the National Mall right next to the Washington Monument. My fellow volunteers and I stationed at the Welcome Desk have the privilege to orientate visitors about the museum. It’s amazing to watch their eyes widen when we tell them about some of the artifacts. I love speaking with the seniors whose lives, and the lives of their parents and grandparents, were shaped by the artifacts in the history galleries; and the apparent thirst for the unvarnished truth most people genuinely seem to have.

And finally at the end of the visit, and after spending some time in the Contemplative Court, many visitors often return to the welcome desk to express their deep appreciation for the existence of this museum. For me, being a NMAAHC volunteer is very rewarding.