American Museum Preserves Ephemera from the Capitol Attack

Recently, the world was shocked when America witnessed one of the worst attacks on its US Capitol. The country that puportedly represents democracy was challenged by a white supremacist mob that stormed the building and interrupted a crucial event in the election process.

It was kind of a landmark event, the likes of which the country has not seen in hudreds of years, say experts.

In order to mark the event, the National Museum of American History has come up with an interesting initiative.

First launched in 1964 as the Museum of History and Technology, the National Museum of American History is located in Washington and recognised for its collection and preservation of cultural, social, and political artifacts that document the changes in the country over the years.

This time the curators of the museum have picked up objects like signboards, stickers, flags, and other ephemera that were discarded by rioters on January 6.

The items will be added to the archive of the museum. The director of the museum, Anthea M Hartig, considered the riot as a historic event and decided to preserve those objects for future generations to remember and reflect upon.

The museum authorities have also asked the public to contribute to their collection as they take their steps towards documenting history and making them available for future generations, and for educational purposes.

It is not the first time in the pandemic that the museum authorities have been active in acquiring symbols of American history. Several signs and banners were also collected from the Black Lives Matter protests that occurred after the death of George Floyd in May 2020.