Meet the collector preserving a complex history

Video Journalist

Sept. 13, 2025 3 AM PT

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As the Smithsonian and other cultural institutions grapple with pressure to change narratives, Gail Deculus-Johnson says her African American Memorabilia Museum and Cultural Arts Center is a way of honoring her ancestors and encouraging folks to engage with truth. AAMMCAC is an online museum and nonprofit based on her unique collection she’s been curating for over 40 years. You can visit aammcac.com to see the collection and find out more about how to engage, buy or sell.

California

Quincy Bowie Jr.

Quincy Bowie Jr. is a video fellow at the Los Angeles Times. The proud Alabama native graduated from USC, where he studied journalism and documentary. In his time there, he contributed to the Daily Trojan, USC Annenberg Media and produced multiple documentaries and short films. You can find his previous work at CNN, Spectrum News and Memorías de Nomada.