Major Grant Supports Inclusive Storytelling

Although not its inventor, the American Independence Museum (AIM) has made a concerted effort to make ‘inclusive storytelling’ a significant part of its in-person tour experience.

“We did not invent the term, ‘inclusive storytelling,’ but we have embraced it,” noted Curator Jennifer Carr, who also currently serves as Interim Executive Director at the American Independence Museum.

This dual role has helped her develop her own unique perspective on the importance of inclusive storytelling. “In years past, we generally told stories from one perspective and focused heavily on military items in our collection,” she said. “We can do more than that. We should do more than that.”

As a history museum, Carr said AIM plays a critical role in sharing many different perspectives, such as those of Black Americans, women and Indigenous people with a broader public. Recently, the ability to fulfill this role has been significantly enhanced by a grant award of $21,250 from the Samuel P. Hunt Foundation to enhance the museum’s archival and exhibit infrastructure.

“This grant enables us to purchase five sealed archival microclimate cases that will display rare historic items with incredible stories that shed different perspectives on Revolutionary history,” said Carr.

Some of the items that will be displayed in these cases include Indigenous artifacts that were uncovered on the museum's property during an archaeological dig in 2019. These items include a 2,700 year-old projectile point (arrowhead), stone flakes created as a result of knapping (the product of producing stone weapons), and pieces of Indigenous pottery.

Carr said many of these items are ‘pre-contact’ and will allow the museum to acknowledge the Indigenous presence on the land and share their history with guests. “These cases will also help with preservation, as they feature UV filters and humidity control measures that will help to preserve items,” she added.

In addition to these cases, the grant award will cover costs associated with purchasing new stands and labels, as each display will feature accompanying text (inclusive stories). These stands and labels will also be ADA compliant.

“Due to manufacturing delays, these changes likely won’t be implemented until the 2023 season, but this grant gives us serious focus as we plan our exhibit calendar,” said Carr. “We have already made changes in our current exhibits, so if you have not visited us in a couple years, please do. You will be surprised at the stories we are telling.”

Home to a world-class collection of 3,000 historic artifacts, the museum is currently developing a variety of public and education programs in virtual and online formats to encourage digital inclusion for all ages. To learn more about the museum, or its current tours and programming, visit independencemuseum.org.