Night at the Museum

The piece, “BYOC (Bring your own Chair)” by Black American inventor Nathaniel Alexander strongly resonated with me. In my culture, folding chairs are a commonplace item. Every household has one to accommodate guests and to invite others to join the conversation. Learning this bit of history about folding chairs was insightful. I was very appreciative of this information. I was also excited when I was able to draw a distinct line between Nathaniel Alexander’s invention and Shirley Chrisholm. As the first woman to announce her running in the presidential elections of the United States, her even more inspirational quote, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair”, illustrates the symbolism of folding chairs throughout America’s history.