Oral history interview with Michael Battle

Michael Battle discusses his experience as a youth in the Anacostia neighborhood and describes how he became a member of the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum's (now Anacostia Community Museum) Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) in 1968. He describes the many youth activities that became available through the museum, like photography, pottery, arts and crafts. He talks about how the YAC helped shape exhibits, and how it led to other opportunities for him, like joining Operation Crossroads, which allowed him to travel to Zambia and Botswana to help build a kitchen and an amphitheater. He explains that the museum was different because it was hands-on, interactive, and focused on African American history and experience. He also describes the impact of the museum on the neighborhood, particularly on young people who now had a communal place to gather and more opportunities to learn about art and history.  The interview was recorded on July 24, 1991 and begins at the 17:04 mark. The audio quality is clear throughout the recording, with some minor background noise. Exhibitions mentioned: The Rat: Man's Invited Affliction, This Thing Called Jazz.