EXHIBITION | Magical Black Tears

The Magical Black Tears Experience is an interactive exhibition that teaches children ages 4-12 about direct action as a vehicle for creating a more just society. The Big Idea of the exhibition is that direct action and protest make a more racially just world.

Based on the children’s picture book Magical Black Tears: A Protest Story, the exhibition offers children, educators, and caregivers opportunities to watch films, read, write, create, pretend-play, and problem-solve, while learning about the power of protest and direct action for social and racial equality.

Watch Exhibition Designer Kayla Irby talk about creating the Magical Black Tears Exhibition Pilot at Milwaukee Area Technical College:

After two years of piloting the exhibition, we are excited to make the Magical Black Tears Exhibition, curriculum, workshops, and learning materials available throughout the country. We collaboratively designed each learning area using the following co-design principles:

Center Black children’s development, questions, and well-being
Use interpretive tools to foster imaginative play-based, problem-posing, and problem-solving learning approaches
Harness children’s creativity, curiosities, and imaginations
Give visitors opportunities to pretend play and imagine themselves as agents of racial justice and progress
Encourage visitors to put their dreams into motion

The exhibition can be delivered as a pop-up, temporary, or permanent installation and currently contains eight interactive learning areas, with more in current development:

What in the World? Living and Learning Room

In homes throughout the United States, the living room is a place where people of all ages gather to take note of what’s happening in the world. It’s a place where people talk, learn, and debate the news of the day. It is also where people develop ideas and plans to take direct action to make the world a better place.

Express Yourself! Tools for Protest Creation Station

Self-expression is key to making racial justice a reality. This station has materials to make tools to share your important message for change. Follow the directions to make tools or come up with your own tools of expression. Whatever you do, make sure you add your unique artistic flavor to your tools.

Speak Up! Voices for Justice

Speaking up and using your voice is an important part of direct action. Use the podium and stage to speak up for what is important to you. Speak out against racism through poetry, songs, speeches, slogans, songwriting, and storytelling. Sing a song, give a speech, say a poem, or read a famous speech.

That Ain’t Right! Puppet Theater

Visitors choose a scenario about a problem of racial injustice. Terin Upstuff and his zany puppet friends must solve the problem. But they have very different personalities and ideas about how to do so. Experience humor and excitement as visitors help the characters work through their differences to find an approach to solve the problem. Ultimately, it’s the visitors who help them chart a course of direct action.

Road to Justice Streetscape

Some of the most important racial justice movements in the world happened when people took their frustrations and anger to the streets. The road to justice streetscape invites visitors to make the street their very own. Show up to protest, march, heal, and make your voice heard and presence seen.

Magical Black Tears Rumpus Room: Working Together to Solve Problems

Let’s Build! Building Just Futures Station

Let’s Build! In the Magical Black Tears book, some people were so angry that they burned down houses and businesses in Maya and Kyle’s neighborhood. After Maya and Kyle put the fires out, they realized that somebody had to build the neighborhood back. Suit up, grab some tools, and rebuild the neighborhood you want to see. Don't forget to work with a partner - building a better future is a team effort. Take a picture of your building project and share it with the world.

Growing Dreams Magical Garden

In the Magical Black Tears book, Maya and Kyle’s dad poured tear-filled buckets onto ashes from the fire. Within minutes a magical garden appeared. Use the Growing Dreams Magical Garden to plant your seeds of love, dreams, hope, and aspirations. Make a flower that represents your hopes and dreams, and plant it in the garden.

We designed and piloted the Magical Black Tears Exhibition at Milwaukee Area Technical College in February 2023 and February 2024. The two 21-day pilot exhibitions drew over 1200 visitors, including children of all ages, parents, educators, community members, college students, government officials, and museum professionals who were positively impacted by their experience. We use the feedback we gather from visitors to continually refine the exhibition. We are committed to designing and delivering the impactful and empowering learning experience children deserve.

Pilot Exhibition Collaborators and Early Supporters included Derute Consulting Cooperative, Black Child Development Institute of Wisconsin, Embrace Improve Empower, LLC, Milwaukee Area Technical College, City of Milwaukee Office of Early Childhood Initiatives, Milwaukee County Office of Equity.

We look forward to working with you to bring Magical Black Tears to the children in your community!

Click here to view a Downloadable Magical Black Tears Exhibition brochure.

Meet the Designers: Behind the Scenes

Check out some cool videos to hear from the people who created the Magical Black Tears Exhibition

Watch Exhibition Designer Kayla Irby display the Magical Black Tears Exhibition Prototype: