Living Archives: An African Community Day

Living Archives: An African Community Day brings together storytelling, performance, food, and curatorial practice as living expressions of cultural memory within the African diaspora. Presented in conjunction with the Haggerty Museum of Art's Fall 2026 exhibition theme The Otherworld is Home, the program invites visitors to experience culture as something actively shared through food, movement, oral history, conversation, and artistic engagement.

Developed in collaboration with community organizations, artists, educators, and students, the event transforms the museum into a vibrant space for storytelling, cultural exchange, and intergenerational learning. Throughout the afternoon, visitors will encounter multiple perspectives on African and diasporic traditions while exploring how cultural memory is preserved, interpreted, and renewed across generations.

Walk-ins are welcome!

Support for this program is generously provided by Lilly Endowment Inc.

COMMUNITY COLLABORATORS

ALAAFIA

African American Roundtable

America's Black Holocaust Museum (ABHM)

Nkenge Adams, Founder of Nkenge's Gallery and University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee Graduate Student, Art History

Marquette African Student Association

Milwaukee High School of the Arts

Portia Cobb, Exhibiting Artist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Peck School of The Arts: Department of Film, Video, Animation & New Genres

Ton Ko-Thi Youth Dance Company

* Additional collaborators are currently being invited and will help expand the day's storytelling, cultural programming, and community engagement opportunities.

AGENDA

12:00 -12:30 PM – Exhibition Viewing Time

12:30 -12:45 PM – Welcome

12:45 - 1:45 PM – African Art Inspired Storytelling

1:45 - 2:00 PM – African Youth Dance Performance

2:00 - 3:00 PM – African Food Tasting

3:00- 4:00 PM – Curatorial Storytelling Workshop

Directions and Parking information may be found on our website.