WHAT: Press preview for “Watching Oprah: The Oprah Winfrey Show and American Culture” exhibition
WHEN: Wednesday, June 6
7:30–9 a.m.: Media check-in and continental breakfast
9-9:40 a.m.: Remarks and Q&A
9:40 a.m.: Self-guided media tours
WHERE: Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
Oprah Winfrey Theater
14th Street and Madison Drive entrance
WHO: Lonnie Bunch III, founding director, National Museum of African American History
and Culture
Kinshasha Holman Conwill, deputy director, National Museum of African American History and Culture
Rhea Combs, exhibition co-curator
Kathleen Kendrick, exhibition co-curator
The National Museum of African American History and Culture is hosting a press preview for its new temporary exhibition “Watching Oprah: The Oprah Winfrey Show and American Culture,” which opens to the public June 8 and continues through June 2019.
The exhibition explores the era that shaped Oprah Winfrey’s life and early career in TV, her talk show that dominated daytime TV for 25 years and the ways in which she has influenced American popular culture. It features original artifacts from Harpo Studios in Chicago and from Smithsonian collections as well as video clips, interactives and photographs.
Following the remarks and brief Q&A session, media may visit the exhibition. Museum Director Lonnie Bunch and the exhibition co-curators will be available for questions, or one-on-one interviews upon request. TV crews who want to get B-roll before the remarks must make arrangements when they RSVP. There is limited space inside the theater for cameras. Note: Winfrey will not be present at the press preview.
Jermaine House
Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of African American History and Culture
(202) 633-9495
