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Virtual Verbal Description Tour – Deconstructing Power: W. E. B. du Bois at the 1900 World’s Fair
March 17, 2023 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Join Cooper Hewitt for a virtual tour of our current exhibition, Deconstructing Power: W. E. B. Du Bois at the 1900 World’s Fair. Co-led by curator Devon Zimmerman and Accessibility & Inclusion Manager Kirsten Sweeney, the tour will offer in-depth verbal descriptions of the hand-drawn data visualizations created by Du Bois and his Atlanta University students for the Fair’s “Exhibit of American Negroes.” These diagrams used shape, line, and color to showcase the success Black Americans had achieved despite facing pervasive racism in the United States and the global community. We will explore Du Bois’ work in the context of the World’s Fair’s focus on technological advancement, European supremacy, and imperial conquest.
Content note: This exhibition explores topics of racism against Black Americans from 1865-1900, as well as global colonial violence and oppression during that period. The word “Negro” is used consistently throughout the exhibition.
Participation Level: Medium – Participants may sit back and listen or engage in active discussion.
Intended Audience: Participants who are blind or have low vision and are interested in Black American life at the turn of the century, data visualization, and/or the work of W. E. B. du Bois.
To register, send an email with your name to CHAccess@si.edu or call Kirsten Sweeney at 212-849-8384.
Accessibility:
This free program will feature a discussion of the Deconstructing Power exhibition with an accompanying slideshow and verbal descriptions of all images. Details will be emailed to you upon registration. This program includes Zoom’s automated captions. For general questions or if we can provide additional accessibility services or accommodations to support your participation in this program, please email us at CHEducation@si.edu or let us know when registering. Please make your accommodation request as far in advance as possible—preferably at least one week before the program date when possible.