Bridget R. Cooks, UC Irvine professor and Chancellor’s Fellow of art history and African American studies, was invited to participate on the advisory committee for an upcoming six-month exhibition at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art titled “The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism.” She also wrote a piece detailing the history of Harlem Renaissance shows for the event’s official catalogue.

What is the Harlem Renaissance? Cooks will answer that question in this episode of the UCI Podcast. In addition, she’ll tell us what it’s like to serve alongside some of her heroes, why her career is exactly what she’s “supposed to be doing” and how time spent at a museum can benefit everyone.

This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at UCI’s ANTrepreneur Center. The music, titled “Don’t Fret,” was provided by Quincas Moreira via the audio library in YouTube Studio.