Challenging Whiteness and Storytelling in Museums: An Examination of Racial Representation in Kansas City Heritage Institutions

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between museums and race by engaging with how Black communities (and their histories and art) are represented at cultural and historical institutions in Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO). Public institutions like museums are important places for understanding the histories and cultures of various social groups and have historically maintained white visions. Through an examination of the textual and visual components of the exhibits, we observed the representation of Black histories, cultures, and individuals within museum storytelling and how these representations either upheld or challenged white visions. We find that KCMO institutions presented visions of whiteness in their storytelling, but our research also reveals that these KCMO museums show an effort to highlight and celebrate Black individuals and communities through affirmative and contextualized narratives. We also find, however, that this affirmative vision continues to marginalize Black women in storytelling. These museums that have taken the first steps towards decentering whiteness must continue this process to ensure that KCMO institutions are inclusive and tell the most complete stories. While decentering whiteness is an ongoing process, the challenges to white visions in KCMO cultural institutions show promise and exemplify a positive trend in the museum field.