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‘Cut & Paste’ podcast: Who should tell the stories of African Americans in St. Louis?

An exhibition at the Griot Museum of Black History shows a mutiny on the deck of a slave ship.
Nancy Fowler / St. Louis Public Radio
An exhibition at the Griot Museum of Black History shows a mutiny on the deck of a slave ship.

A new $5 million donation will help the Missouri History Museum collect and exhibit St. Louis’ African-American history. But not everyone trusts a large, mainstream institution to tell these stories.

While the History Museum thrives through such contributions and with Zoo-Museum Districtfunding,the Griot Museum of Black History struggles to even pay its utility bills. In the weeks ahead, we’ll have a detailed report of this languishing establishment.

In this new “Cut & Paste” podcast, you’ll hear from Griot founder and director Lois Conley about the museum's African-American point of view, and how young people might help The Griot tell today’s rapidly unfolding history.

Here's some of what you’ll hear in this ‘Cut & Paste’ podcast:

  • Griot Museum of Black History founder Lois Conley, on why it was important to depict a mutiny on a slave-ship’s deck by an escaped African man: “We’re not all docile.” Tweet #cutpastestl
  • Ferguson activist Brittany Ferrell on why black people should tell their own stories: “… white folks have had their hands on African-American history and we’ve seen how they whitewash a lot of things.” Tweet #cutpastestl
  • Melanie Adams of the Missouri History Museum about their search for things you might not think of in an historic display: "You could use something as easy as a suitcase from someone who moved" to represent African-American migration. Tweet #cutpastestl
Cut & Paste

Look for new "Cut & Paste" (#cutpastestl) podcasts every few weeks on our website. You can also view all previous podcasts, which focus on a diverse collection of visual and performing artists, and subscribe to “Cut & Paste” through this link.

Follow Willis and Nancy on Twitter: @WillisRArnold and @NancyFowlerSTL

Please help St. Louis Public Radio find artists to feature on "Cut & Paste." Tell us which artists and cultural themes deserve a closer look.

Nancy is a veteran journalist whose career spans television, radio, print and online media. Her passions include the arts and social justice, and she particularly delights in the stories of people living and working in that intersection.