Museums and the Public Trust: Critical Education Civic Engagement in a Time of Censorship

An analysis of how trusted cultural institutions can rapidly respond to social crises and promote public history during a time of increasing censorship and polarization. As teaching and discussion about race and other critical topics is increasingly being censored in the United States, Anya Russian argues that museums can provide vital civic hubs for concerned citizens, educators, and community organizations to share knowledge, develop skills, and access resources needed to address ongoing social justice concerns within their communities.Two forward-thinking North Carolina museums demonstrate that when museums align their public missions around socially accountable and civically responsive education, they can play important roles in local and national peacebuilding, expand opportunities for informed community engagement, and sustain the momentum of social justice movements beyond the most visible episodes of organized protest. Blending social theory from peace and conflict studies and critical education with compelling examples of participatory museum practices and digital initiatives, this book is a resource for all museums and cultural institutions to purposefully examine their social impact.