Museum of the African Diaspora


The Museum of the African Diaspora is a museum in San Francisco, California, documenting the history, art, and culture of the African diaspora. Their focus spans the migration of Africans across history, from the diaspora at the origin of human existence through the contemporary African Diaspora around the world. It is located at 685 Mission St. next to the St. Regis Museum Tower. The museum, and the building, opened in 2005. With a small staff of 12, it primarily focuses on presenting the work of other institutions

History

MoAD was developed as part of a public/private partnership led by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency. In 1999, the City of San Francisco created a mandate to include an African American cultural presence in the last vacant parcel of Yerba Buena Gardens. San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown appointed a steering committee to determine the mission and scope of a cultural facility within the complex.
The African American Cultural Institute grew out of a research and development process that began in 2002. The new museum was renamed Museum of the African Diaspora to reflect a broadened scope and mission, and incorporated as a 501 nonprofit organization. The space was designed by the Freelon Group within the St. Regis Museum Tower, a 42-story skyscraper that apart from the museum consists of luxury condominiums and a 5-star hotel. MoAD opened its doors in 2005.
Linda Harrison was appointed as the Executive Director of MoAD in November 2013. In June 2014, MoAD underwent a six-month renovation that created more gallery space and refreshed the museum's overall look. By October 2014, MoAD was named an official Smithsonian Affiliate. Harrison left MoAD in 2018 to head the Newark Museum in New Jersey.

The Original African Diaspora

Before 2014, when the MoAD revised its mission to center on contemporary art, the museum used to introduce visitors to the original African diaspora—the original movement of Homo sapiens —to eventually all inhabited regions. The museum asks visitors "when did you first realize you are African?" The museum espouses the scientifically accepted idea of panethnicity, wherein all humans have a common African origin.

Past exhibitions

ExhibitionDate
Let Your Motto Be ResistanceApril 04, 2009 – June 14, 2009
The Art of Richard MayhewOctober 10, 2009 – March 07, 2010
African ContinuumApril 20, 2010 – September 26, 2010
Art/Object: Re-Contextualizing African ArtOctober 07, 2010 – January 17, 2011
Textual Rhythms: Constructing the Jazz Tradition, Contemporary African American QuiltsJanuary 27, 2011 – April 24, 2011
From Process to Print: Graphic Works by Romare BeardenMay 06, 2011 – July 03, 2011
Soulful Stitching: Patchwork Quilts by African in IndiaJuly 15, 2011 – September 25, 2011
Collected: Stories of Acquisition and ReclamationOctober 07, 2011 – March 04, 2012
Choose Paint! Choose Abstraction!: Celebrating Bay Area Abstract ArtistsMarch 22, 2012 – September 23, 2012
Tuareg and Anima: Photographs of GRACE by Elisabeth SundayOctober 05, 2012 – January 21, 2013
Desert Jewels: North African Jewelry and Photography from the Xavier Guerrand-Hermès CollectionOctober 05, 2012 – January 21, 2013
The Kinsey Collection: Shared Treasures of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey, Where Art History IntersectFebruary 08, 2013 – May 19, 2013
J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere: Sartorial Moments and the Nearness of YesterdayJune 20, 2013 – November 24, 2013
Crosscurrents: Africa and Black Diasporas in Dialogue, 1960-1980December 05, 2013 – April 13, 2014
Drapetomanía: Grupo Antillano and the Art of Afro-CubaDecember 01, 2014 – January 04, 2015
The Art of Elizabeth CatlettJanuary 16, 2015 – April 05, 2105
Lave Thomas: BeyondDecember 03, 2014 – April 05, 2015
Marie Johnson Calloway: Legacy of ColorFebruary 04, 2015 – April 12, 2015
Portraits and Other Likenesses from SFMOMAMay 08, 2015 – October 11, 2015
Four Themes: Emerging Artist: Time RoseboroughNovember 11, 2015 – January 18, 2016
Ghosts/Ships: Emerging Artists: Cheryl Patrice DerricotteJanuary 27, 2016 – April 03, 2016
Alison Saar: BearingNovember 11, 2015 – April 03, 2016
Who Among Us...
The Art of Kenyatta A.C.Hinkle		November 11, 2015 – April 03, 2016
Finding the I in Diaspora: From the MoAD ArchivesNovember 11, 2015 – April 03, 2016
The Grace Jones ProjectApril 27, 2016 – September 18, 2016
Dandy Lion: Articulating Black Masculine IdentityApril 27, 2016 – September 18, 2016
Bayview Portraits by Byron MalikOctober 16, 2016 – November 03, 2016
Finding the 'I' in Diaspora Bayview Popup: From the MoAD archivesJuly 15, 2016 – November 03, 2016
MoAD Emerging Artists Presents Nyame Brown: Classroom in NevérÿonOctober 26, 2016 – January 16, 2017
MoAD Emerging Artists Presents Helina Metafaria: Home | FreeJanuary 25, 2017 – April 02, 2017
Urban AfricaOctober 26, 2016 – April 02, 2017
Where is HereOctober 26, 2016 – April 02, 2017
A Matter of Fact: Toyin Ojih OdutolaOctober 26, 2016 – April 02, 2017
MoAD Emerging Artists presents Lili Bernard: Antebellum AppropriationsApril 26, 2017 – June 25, 2017
MoAD Emerging Artists presents Angie Keller: The Gladioli of El CarmenJuly 05, 2017 – August 27, 2017
Todd Gray: My life in the Bush with MJ and IggyApril 26, 2017 – August 27, 2017
The Ease of FictionApril 26, 2017 – August 27, 2017
Love or Confusion: Jimi Hendrix in 1967April 26, 2017 – August 27, 2017
MoAD Emerging Artists presents Ebitenyefa Baralaye: Many RoomsSeptember 20, 2017 – November 26, 2017
MoAD Emerging Artists presents Simone Bailey: Let There Be DarknessDecember 06, 2017 – March 04, 2018
Otra Mas': 40 Years of Carnaval in San FrancsicoSeptember 20, 2017 – March 04, 2018
En Mas': Carnival and Performance Art of the CaribbeanSeptember 20, 2017 – March 04, 2018
MoAD Emerging Artists presents Andrew Wilson: Equivalencies: Abandoned BodiesMarch 28, 2018 – June 03, 2018
MoAD Emerging Artists presents summer mason: GeminiJune 20, 2018 – August 26, 2018
Digitalia: Art & the Economy of IdeasMarch 28, 2018 – August 26, 2018
After the Thrill is Gone: Fashion, Politics and Culture in Contemporary South African ArtMarch 28, 2018 – August 26, 2018
MoAD Emerging Artists presents Indira Allegra:
B O D Y W A R P		September 19, 2018 – November 04, 2018
MoAD Emerging Artists presents 5/5 Collective: black nowNovember 11, 2018 – December 15, 2018
I TOLD YOU WHO AM I: Shushan TesfuzigtaSeptember 19, 2018 – December 16, 2018
Second Look, Twice: Selections from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family FoundationSeptember 19, 2018 – December 16, 2018
Ficre Ghebreyesus: City with a River Running ThroughSeptember 19, 2018 – December 16, 2018
Sadie Barnette: Phone HomeJanuary 16, 2019 – April 14, 2019
Black Refractions: Highlight from the Studio Museum in HarlemJanuary 16, 2019 – April 14, 2019

Emerging Artists Program

The Emerging Artists Program at the Museum of the African Diaspora was launched concurrently with the celebration of the institution's 10th anniversary, and receives support from the Institute of Museum and Library services.