Oral history interview with Edmund Barry Gaither

Edmund Barry Gaither discusses how genuinely pioneering the original Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now Anacostia Community Museum) was because the community was the empowering agency and subject for the museum. As the first director of the African American Museums Assocation, he describes John Kinard's influence, and how he introduced or helped shape every important issue that organization addressed. He also describes Kinard's relationship with the Smithsonian Institution, and how he tried to give voice to what he felt the Anacostia community wanted. He talks about how the museum's programs and exhibits reflected issues relevant to the Anacostia community, and how the museum has changed over time yet has continued to generate exhibitions that are of national importance. The interview was recorded on May 13, 1992. The audio quality is faint with some background noise, but the interview can generally be heard clearly throughout the recording. Exhibitions mentioned: Black women: achievements against the odds, The Rat: Man's Invited Affliction.