The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center
Jessenia M. Prado currently serves as the Membership Services Coordinator at the DuSable Museum of African American History since November 2024. Previous experience includes an Activations & Experiences Intern at Show Strategy, where Jessenia coordinated logistics for high-profile events such as the Democratic National Convention, and managed a team overseeing media tent construction. While pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Art History, Studio Art, and Race and Ethnic Studies at St. Olaf College, Jessenia held various roles, including Curatorial Editor and Student Development Officer at the Flaten Art Museum, where Jessenia organized art exhibitions and enhanced student engagement. Additional experience includes internships at the Art Institute of Chicago, Project for Pride in Living, and Mujeres Latinas en Acción, alongside a promotion at Wendella Tours & Cruises as a Guest Services Ambassador.
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The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center
In 1961, with a few dedicated colleagues and a dream, the artist/educator/writer/activist Margaret Taylor Burroughs established our nation’s first independent museum celebrating Black culture. Based on Chicago's iconic South Side, Burroughs was proud that the Museum was “the only one that grew out of the indigenous Black community.” The museum (later renamed to honor Jean-Baptiste Point DuSable, the Haitian-born founder of Chicago) has welcomed millions of visitors to its home in Chicago’s historic Washington Park to experience its innovative and timely exhibitions and powerful and transformative educational programs, which together place the African American narrative firmly within the broader context of U.S. history. Our educational programs use various mediums (art, film, literature, music, and dialogue) to explore and educate on major topics pertaining to the Black diaspora. Topics range from Black art and history to economic disparities, health and wellness, gender and sexuality, public policy, and more. As the oldest independent African American museum in the nation, we have a treasure trove of materials that are immensely beneficial not just to our own exhibitions and programming, but to the various museums, educational institutions, and research partners who frequently request our archival materials. We regularly work with the University of Chicago, Chicago State University, Chicago Public Schools, and other major museums in Chicago on collaborative projects centered on education, the arts, and community development.