John W. Franklin

John W. Franklin is a specialist in the history and traditions of communities of the African Diaspora. When he was a program manager and curator at the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Franklin developed presentations on Senegal, the Bahamas, Cape Verde, and Washington, D.C., for the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival. He is now Director of Partnerships and International Programs for the National Museum of African American History and Culture to be built in Washington next to the Washington Monument between 2012 and 2015.

On Friday, February 26th at 7:00 p.m. he will discuss his current work which takes him across the United States, and to Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and South America presenting the new museum to colleagues in museums, universities, libraries and cultural organizations.

Pictured above with his father, John Hope Franklin, he has worked on many projects over the years including co-editing My Life and An Era: The Autobiography of Buck Colbert Franklin. He also served as advisor on the documentary film, Tutu and Franklin: A Journey Towards Peace.

Should you need more information please contact the Wayne County Museum at 919-734-5023