Although they have no building yet, the new National Museum of African American History and Culture is busy with some terrific programming. 

Among their recent initiatives is Save Our African American Treasures: A National Collections Initiative of Discovery and Preservation. It’s a collaboration among cultural institutions, community leaders, and the public to preserve and collect African American material culture.  This initiative, in the form of public workshops, hopes to stimulate preservation activity nationwide, and help people identify and preserve objects of historical and cultural significance.   

The program debuted in January 2008 in Chicago.  In July, it travels to Los Angeles affiliate, the Japanese American National Museum.  They have created a wonderful Preservation Guide to give practical tips on conserving a home collection – everything from photographs to textiles to metal.  Look for it at the Affiliations Conference!