Hip-hop connecting to black history

Hosted at MHCC on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Black History 101 Mobile Museum is a traveling exhibit that shares Black history through memorabilia and artifacts, plus lectures to further inform audiences on topics and social issues such as racism, Black culture, and hip-hop music.

This museum has been to MHCC campus in previous years.

Dr. Khalid el-Hakim is founder of the Black History 101 Mobile Museum. He was a social studies teacher in Detroit, Michigan. Visiting Mt. Hood (which has hosted the museum in previous years) along with tables displaying carefully preserved artifacts and memorabilia of Black history, el-Hakim spoke with students in the Student Union on Tuesday.

Beginning with the trans-Atlantic slave trade, and progressing to hip-hop culture today, he gave a lecture on the connection hip-hop music has had throughout history, political, social movements, and art. He explained the stories behind how certain artifacts made it to the museum, as well as the way hip-hop music has made statements on injustices occurring nationally and globally.

Dr. el-Hakim brought up personal experiences, like the first time he went to the American South and saw racist figurines being sold at gas stations and still being mass-produced. He also described his involvement in the music and entertainment world, as he was managing music groups that were performing with hip-hop artists we know today, such as Eminem.

There could have been many stories to be told with each artifact on the table – stories of suffering from slavery and segregation as well as power, freedom, and creativity through music from DJ Grandmaster Flash, A Tribe Called Quest and Ms. Lauryn Hill.

As it happens, hip-hop music will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. There is much to celebrate because hip-hop music has brought immense contributions, expanding to other music genres and influencing many Black artists.

Learn more about the Black History 101 Mobile Museum at: https://www.blackhistorymobilemuseum.com/