HIP-HOP CONNECTING TO BLACK HISTORY Black History 101 Museum returns to MHCC Student Union

Arianna Perez-Garcia The Advocate

Hosted at MHCC on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Black History 101 Mobile Museum is a traveling exhibit that shares Black history through memorabilia and artifacts, plus lectures to further inform audiences on topics and social issues such as racism, Black culture, and hip-hop music.

This museum has been to MHCC campus in previous years.

Dr. Khalid el-Hakim is founder of the Black History 101 Mobile Museum. He was a social studies teacher in Detroit, Michigan. Visiting Mt. Hood (which has hosted the museum in previous years) along with tables displaying carefully preserved artifacts and memorabilia of Black history, elHakim spoke with students in the Student Union on Tuesday.

Beginning with the transAtlantic slave trade, and progressing to hip-hop culture today, he gave a lecture on the connection hip-hop music has had throughout history, political, social movements, and art. He explained the stories behind how certain artifacts made it to the museum, as well as the way hiphop music has made statements on injustices occurring nationally and globally.

Dr. el-Hakim brought up personal experiences, like the first time he went to the American South and saw racist figurines being sold at gas stations and still being mass-produced. He also described his involvement in the music and entertainment world, as he was managing music groups that were performing with hip-hop artists we know today, such as Eminem.

There could have been many stories to be told with each artifact on the table – stories of suffering from slavery and segregation as well as power, freedom, and creativity through music from DJ Grandmaster Flash, A Tribe Called Quest and Ms. Lauryn Hill.

As it happens, hip-hop music will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. There is much to celebrate because hiphop music has brought immense contributions, expanding to other music genres and influencing many Black artists.

Learn more about the Black History 101 Mobile Museum at: https://www. blackhistorymobilemuseum.com/