It's a shame that the African-American community does not support the museum that reflects lots of their history, which is also a subset of American History ("Lewis Museum struggles with attendance, fundraising," Sept. 21). With regard to fundraising and involvement, may I suggest that the museum reach out heavily to the African-American churches to reverse the visitor and funding trend lines of the past as well as reach out to non-African-American churches, synagogues and mosques and large corporate donors with a strong African-American customer base?
At $2 or so per person, it would go a long way toward becoming self-sustaining. The museum could also highlight the positive accomplishments of blacks in the arts, entertainments, business, politics, etc. and de-emphasize the slavery and discrimination struggles which represent such a negative focus.
It is inappropriate for all taxpayers to so heavily subsidize such a facility even though it is a very interesting building. After all, they are competing for disposable dollars, which are limited. The museum needs to learn that everything in our society is a business in some way or another. Adapt or become extinct.
Howard Barshop, Baltimore