JULY 16, 2026
BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA
WEEKLY DISPATCH
by Leslie Fields-Cruz
I’m not sure whose idea it was for the new Obama Museum to open right around the time the United States of America kicked off its 250th Anniversary celebration. Maybe it wasn’t planned. Maybe it was a happy accident. Whatever the case, the timing couldn’t be more propitious.
Opening at a time when some are attempting to re-write and/or erase our history, the Obama museum enshrines the legacy of POTUS 44. It also celebrates the benefits of cross-boundary collaboration and invites Americans to recommit to realizing our ideals by once again embracing the notion that ignited Obama’s presidency: “Yes We Can.”
Storytelling is Key
A huge part of what catapulted Obama to the White House was his superb ability to tell stories. His biography, Dreams From My Father, which was published more than a decade before he was elected, went on to become an international best seller. His next book, The Audacity of Hope, did the same. Since leaving the White House, he and his wife Michelle have sold several other best-selling books and I’ve no doubt more books and films are on the horizon.
America’s 250-year history cannot be truly told or understood without the stories of people like the Obamas. But we also need the stories of people like W.E.B. Du Bois, The Aunties, and those featured in this season’s AfroPoP series. Organizations like Black Public Media are vital because we invest in media projects that unearth our past and storytellers who dare to imagine our future.
Celebrate with a Gift
This summer, I invite you to celebrate America’s 250th by supporting Black Public Media. There are those who would like us to sit down, shut up and pretend the struggles, triumphs, dreams, and contributions of Black folks are neither noteworthy or extraordinary. We know better.
With your help, yes, we can and will continue to tell stories that compel America to live up to her ideals. It’s just what we do.
Banner image courtesy of the Obama Foundation
Key art for AfroPoP feature “This World is Not My Own” courtesy of the filmmakers