Exposeum
Mound Bayou Museum: The First Exposeum
“We as Black people are really just now discovering our history. The whole point of this is that instead of us just knowing it and putting it in a museum — which is what museums usually do — we are exposing our history. That’s why I call it an Exposeum. It’s a process, not just a place.”
Hermon Johnson, Jr.
What is an Exposeum?
The Mound Bayou Museum is proud to be the first Exposeum: a new kind of museum created to uncover the parts of Black history that have been hidden, ignored, or kept from us.
The word Exposeum was created by Hermon Johnson Jr. by putting the words “expose” and “museum” together. This isn’t just about putting history on display. It’s about actively finding it, telling it, and making sure our truth is seen.
Exposeum™ is a trademark submitted by Hermon Johnson Jr. in connection with museum services focused on exposing and sharing Black history.