I’d love to pick the brain of The Color of Water author James McBride about the Science Museum of Virginia’s RACE exhibit that I visited on 1/31/2012.

The exhibit confirms that all humans share a common ancestry in Africa, and that all of the world’s genetic diversity derived from Africa – and that “race” is an artificial, human-invented construct meant to inferiorize groups of persons.

The exhibit includes compelling Richmond portions including the actual Woolworth’s lunch counter and stools where, 42 years ago this month, a group of students from Virginia Union University had a “sit-in” to protest segregation. McBride’s book is #2 on my list of poignant writings about race; #1 is of course The Sneeches by Dr. Seuss.

I suspect McBride as well as the organizers of the RACE exhibition would agree. This exhibit is important.