America I AM Programs
Programs
Citizen Stories
Meet a variety of African American Cincinnatians, with stories told by a costumed interpreter.
Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
2 – 3 p.m.
Wednesdays: William Turner Pullman Porter
Fridays: Powhatan Beaty Civil War Soldier
Saturdays: JP Ball Photographer
Photographer’s Apprentice
J. P. Ball’s Apprentice demonstrates how photographs were ‘struck’ in the 19th century at this famous photographer’s studio. Hear about the different types, how each plate was prepared and how long it took to take and develop a picture.
Sunday, May 9
2 – 3 p.m.
Brownie Photography
Using vintage Kodak Brownie camera, take a photo in our Victory Garden using photo-reactive paper. See how in 20 minutes you can have a ‘negative’ which you can scan and ‘develop’ on your computer.
Sunday, May 9
3 – 4 p.m.
*This program is dependent upon good weather.
Cincinnati Now and Then
How have educational, occupational and social opportunities changed for Blacks in Cincinnati since the 1920s?
Saturday, June 12
1 – 2 p.m.
Wet Plate Photography Day
Meet J. P. Ball, Cincinnati’s most well-known African American Photographer. Observe our staff taking Wet-Plate photographs. J. P. Ball explains photographic processes from the 1850s. Learn how chemistry and artistry produces photographs on glass or tin-plate.
Saturday, May 1 and Wednesday, July 7
1 – 3:30 p.m.
What If?
What if African Americans did not invent the many things that they did? What would our lives look like without African American contributions? Stop by our magnetic board and explore life without African American inventions.
New Interactive program
Museum Hours
Debuting Thursday, July 1
Cincinnati I AM
African Americans have made a big impact on the development of Cincinnati with lasting contributions. In this program we will discuss the African American influence on our city, and explore what life would be like without their contributions.
Thursday, July 1
2 – 4 p.m.
Once Upon a Story
Bring your little ones to the Cincinnati History Museum to hear stories related to America I AMby a museum narrator.
Mondays July 5, August 2, September 6, October 4
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Population Density of the West End
Listen to staff discuss the history of the West End and how populated the neighborhood was compared to other Cincinnati areas.
Sunday, May 30
2 – 3 p.m.
1st and 3rd person characters- Cincinnati History Museum will seek new volunteers to portray occupations that would have been available to African Americans during the 1850’s.
Active America
We’ll explore some of the modern contributions African Americans have made. What would life be like without stoplights and Super Soakers? Play some games and test your skill in comparison to Jesse Owens, the first athlete to get 5 gold medals in track and field in the Summer Olympics.
Saturday, September 25 & Sunday, September 26 (CMC fountain, weather permitting)
12:00 p.m.
America I AM Children’s Celebration
Can you imagine a New Orleans without Jambalaya? Texas without its pinto beans and rice? Come join us as we celebrate the profound African American impact on America and the world.
DECM Lobby
Saturday, July 24
1 – 3:30 p.m.
Budding Scientists: Inventing with Eli Whitney
Eli Whitney had a problem; he needed to clean cotton. He invented a machine to help get the job done. Join us as we try to solve a similar problem and invent some things of our own.
Sundays, June 27 & July 25
1 p.m.
Happen Inc.
Happen celebrates the achievements of African American innovators who changed the way we live in the 21st century. Join us for this fun and educational hands-on session that will leave you inspired.
Saturday, June 19
1:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 24
1:30 & 3:00
Sunday, July 25
1:30
Sunday, August 15
2:30
Saturday, September 25
1:30
Sunday, October 24
2:30
Megan Piphus
As seen on Oprah, Megan is a young African American ventriloquist. Join us as she performs in the Patricia A. Corbett Children’s Theater.
Saturday, June 26
1 and 2:30 p.m.
Home School Museum Monday: Keats Collage
Ezra Jack Keats wrote the first American picture book with an African American child as a main character. Learn more about Keats as we create collages inspired by his work.
Mondays, July 5 & July12
3 p.m.
Kreative Kids: America – Who Am I?
Explore the contributions of various Americans, and think about the contributions we might like to make. From science and literature to education and entertainment, we’ll explore our talents.
Sunday, July 25
4 p.m.
Oral Histories
Have you ever wondered what it was like when your parents were growing up? This is your chance to record their history and some of your own, just like Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Wright, and Ralph Ellison did during the Great Depression.
Sundays, August 8 & September 26
2 p.m.
Young at Art: Duncanson Designs
Learn about the first professional African American painter, Robert Duncanson. Create your own landscape painting inspired by Duncanson’s work.
Sundays, June 27, July 18, August 29, September 19, & October 3
3 p.m.
Young at Art: Faith Ringgold Art
Faith Ringgold is an artist and an author that combined traditional African and Indonesian art to create her own style. We will paint fabric to make our own story quilt like she does.
Sundays, June 20 & July 25
3 p.m.
Young at Art: Jacob Lawrence
Jacob Lawrence created artwork that depicted African American life after the First World War. Explore Jacob Lawrence’s work and create your own artwork inspired by Lawrence.
Saturday, July 24
3 p.m.
Young at Art: The Poetry of Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes wrote poetry about his life growing up in Harlem. Create and illustrate your own poetry inspired by the styling of Langston Hughes.
Sundays, July 11, August 22, & September 12
3 p.m.
Bernoulli’s Principle
Understanding Bernoulli’s principle is vital to learning how aircraft flown by Tuskegee airmen and current pilots or sailboats travel into the wind is possible. Then apply Bernoulli’s principle to create your own aircraft. (Fountain or grass area)
Thursday, June 17
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Sunday, June 27, Saturday, September 4 and Sunday, September 5
1 – 3 p.m.
Digestion Investigation
Discover how your digestive system works as we discuss the food some Africans ate on their journey to America. All About You
Saturdays, June 19 & 26
2 – 3 p.m.
Stephen Bishop: Cave Mapper, Tour Guide, Former Slave
Stephen Bishop was a former slave who discovered rivers with eyeless fish gave exciting tours and mapped the great trails of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. Experience an interpretation of Stephen Bishop by Mr. Bennie Butler in the Museum of Natural History & Science Cavern exhibit.
Fridays, June 25, July 16, and August 20
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Skullology
Hear staff explain the connection between early people of Africa and modern day humans using skull models and DNA research.
Sunday, June 20, Tuesday, July 6, Saturday, July 24, and Sunday, July 25
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Floating & Sinking!
Explore the science behind a boat’s ability to float using bubbles, soda cans, tennis and bowling balls. (Fountain or grass area)
Saturday, July 3 and Sunday, July 4
1 – 3 p.m.
You Make Me Sick
Illness was no stranger to slave ships. Many Africans perished due to unsanitary conditions in the ships’ close quarters. Learn what viruses and bacteria are and how they make us sick. All About You
Saturday, July 17 and Sunday, July 18
2 – 3 p.m.
Can You See What I Hear?
Scientists, doctors and bats use sound to see and locate items. Test your hearing skills to map the inside of our sound box.
Thursday, August 5
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Microscopic Photography
See how the science of photography has developed from the iodine treated silver plated copper sheets of daguerreotypes to viewing how a butterfly wing or insect eye works using a camera and digital microscope.
Saturday, August 14 and Sunday, August 15
2 – 3 p.m.
It’s All About Space
African Americans contributed to aviation and space explorations as early as 1921 when Bessie Coleman received her Federation Aeronautic International Pilots License. Join us outside for fun flying physics.
Thursday, August 26 & Sunday, August 29
1 – 3 p.m.
Shhh…Did you hear that?
A Gullah drum, gourd banjo or Prince’s guitar can create interesting sounds to our ear. Fun experiments will demonstrate how we hear sound.
Thursday, August 12
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Locks and Dams
Enslaved people created ditches and mud dams for 150,000 acres of rice fields along the Carolinas and Georgia coasts. Where can we find this system today? Help us build locks and dams in Duke Energy Children’s Museum.
Saturday, September 18 and Sunday, September 19
2 – 3 p.m.
STEM I AM!
An event for homeschoolers, teachers and students, that encourages the young inventor within. The program encourages students and homeschoolers to put into fruition an invention that they research and develop. (Rotunda)
Friday, September 17
4 – 8 p.m.
That’s the way the ball bounces!
Will a basketball bounce higher than it was dropped? You tell us! Join us outside to test our theories! (Fountain area)
Saturday, September 11 and Sunday, September 12
2 – 3 p.m.
Drinking Gourd 2.0 – Geocaching with Cincinnati Museum Center
Did you know that J. P. Ball and his brother-in-law had a daguerreian studio on 4th street between Ludlow & Broadway? Grab your GPS and use coordinates to find this and other important African American historic sites, right here in Cincinnati!
Daily
African-American Inventors Challenge
Test your skills by matching famous African Americans with what they’re famous for!
Weekends