The Brooklyn Museum Hires Two White Curators For Its African Collections, And Backlash Is Strong

The problem isn’t these two curators, specifically (though the “Black Panther” references are flying thick and fast on Twitter), it’s this widespread institutional issue: “African-Americans made up a mere 4 percent of all curators, conservators, educators and museum leaders, while Hispanics made up 3 percent and Asians made up 6 percent, according to a widespread museum demographic survey completed by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in 2015. White scholars occupied those roles at overwhelming rates, while people of color were more represented at museums through janitorial or security roles.”