Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 were the catalyst for change in many institutions, particularly in museum collections and interpretive methods. This was especially true in museums located in Washington, District of Columbia; Atlanta, Georgia; Portland, Oregon; Los Angeles, California, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Prior to the protests, most art and history museums upheld a Eurocentric worldview that diminished the contributions of Black Americans. Widespread Black Lives Matter protests, however, forced the discussion of racial equality to the forefront of the American consciousness, encouraging many museums to take a public stance and incorporate Black collective memory into their collections. This thesis analyzes case studies from five American cities that show how museums have utilized the Black Lives Matter Movement’s momentum to create new content for the public
