Image: DuSable Museum of African American History, Chicago
The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center in Chicago is using its 65th anniversary to spotlight both its exhibitions and a packed slate of public programming. In a recent newsletter, the museum said its president and CEO, Perri Irmer, discussed the institution’s origins, its 65th anniversary and current offerings during an interview on WGN’s Daytime Chicago, with attention also given to the exhibition 'Paris in Black' and the museum’s permanent collections.
The anniversary comes as the museum frames the summer as a busy season for visitors on the South Side. Its newsletter describes the schedule as “jam-packed” with theatre performances, live music and cultural storytelling, and encourages readers to visit the museum and nearby cultural partners. The message positions the museum not only as an exhibition site but also as a convening point for a wider range of performance-based and educational events.
Among the upcoming programs is 'Anne & Emmett', a one-act play presented by the museum in partnership with Langhart Communications. Written by journalist, author and playwright Janet Langhart Cohen, the work imagines a conversation between Anne Frank and Emmett Till. The newsletter says the play explores prejudice, injustice, courage and hope through the dialogue between the two historical figures. Performances are scheduled for July 24 to 26, with a student and senior matinee on July 24 at 10 a.m., an evening performance the same day at 7 p.m., a performance and reception on July 25 at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., and a matinee on July 26 at 3 p.m.
The museum also highlights a local ticket offer for 'Anne Frank The Exhibition' at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, which the newsletter identifies as a neighbor. According to the museum’s email, the exhibition continues “through early 2027” and invites visitors to explore Anne Frank’s perspective through multimedia installations, photographs, film and sound elements, along with more than 130 original collection pieces from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. The Griffin Museum’s exhibition page says the show is open through early 2027 and is presented by the Anne Frank House.
The Griffin Museum describes 'Anne Frank The Exhibition' as an immersive, full-scale recreation of the Annex where Anne Frank, her family and four other Jewish inhabitants lived in hiding during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. It says Chicago is only the second U.S. city to host the exhibition and the first museum in the Midwest to present it. The exhibition also includes a recreation of the Annex, never-before-seen artifacts and an audio guide in English and Spanish. The museum notes that the exhibition is recommended for visitors ages 10 and older.
The DuSable newsletter says visitors can add 'Anne Frank The Exhibition' to a general admission visit for free using promo code DUSABLE through Friday, August 7. It also notes that the Griffin Museum show is open now through early 2027, keeping the exhibition accessible for a limited promotional period during the museum’s anniversary summer.
Music is another part of the DuSable’s current schedule. The newsletter says the DuSummer Music Series continues on July 23 with Hector Silveira, described as an Afro-Cuban singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer whose work blends jazz and funk influences. Additional dates listed in the newsletter include August 6 for Park N Ride and August 20 for Josiah Maddox & Ox Jam, with more performances through October 1 to be announced. Doors open at 5:45 p.m., and admission is free with registration recommended.
