Brandon Reid

Brandon Reid
Education & Development Operations Manager

A native of Detroit, Michigan, I am a representation of the impact the arts can have on a young, African American male growing up in an urban community and striving to form his own worldview opposite of what is shown through the media. I am a musician and scholar of Public History with a concentration on African American history, music, and culture, a focus that has been nurtured by my time at Tennessee State University (TSU) and Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). My participation in these programs have provided an interest in exploring, preserving, and interconnecting the experiences of historically marginalized communities to advocate for intentional change in the way the public understands and appreciates different cultures that ultimately impact and shape our communal identity and memory. This can be seen through my research interest in how African American music has influenced American history and popular culture. Parallel to my academic experience has been the growth of my professional career as a Public Historian. In my role at the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM), I work to promote arts education programming and learning tactics in museums and through collaborative projects with schools, educators, and community organizations.