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Dr. John E. Fleming (1944–2025)
Senior Advisor (In Memoriam)
I had the privilege of working alongside Dr. John E. Fleming for many years, and my own understanding of what museums can and should be was forever changed by that experience.
One of John’s first assignments with us was to lead the planning for Civil Unrest in Cincinnati: Voices of Our Community. It was an almost impossibly hard task. In his very first week on the job, the city was shaken by the tragic events of April 2001. Just ninety days later, under John’s leadership, we opened an exhibit that provided a grounded history of civil unrest in Cincinnati; offered video interviews with city officials, police officers, and community members; presented television news coverage and the role of talk radio; and shared resources for resolving conflict. I watched visitors stand in front of those videos and begin difficult conversations with one another—exactly what John hoped would happen. The purpose of the exhibit was never simply to “explain what happened,” but to educate, create dialogue, and build understanding about the issues facing Cincinnati. That was John at his best.
John also led our team in developing the content for Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship in partnership with National Geographic and Arts and Exhibitions International. When it became clear that the initial focus of the exhibit did not fully address the ship’s origins in the slave trade, John insisted we do better. Under his guidance, we assembled an advisory committee of African American scholars and experts in the slave trade, nautical history, and piracy. Their work, shaped by John’s persistence and moral clarity, ensured that the Whydah’s complete story was told. The exhibit went on to have its world premiere at Cincinnati Museum Center, but for me, its real significance was how John showed us that courage and integrity belong at the center of exhibition development.
Long before our work together in Cincinnati, John had already helped transform the museum field. After joining the Ohio Historical Society in 1980, he led the planning for the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center in Wilberforce. The museum opened in 1988 with its landmark permanent exhibit From Victory to Freedom: Afro-American Life in the Fifties. A later volume on exhibit development devoted an entire chapter to that project, recognizing how central John was to shaping both the museum and its interpretive vision. His work there became a model for how Black history could be presented with depth, dignity, and power.
In 1998, John became the first director and chief operating officer of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati. During his tenure, he worked closely with the architects on the building design and with the exhibition teams to shape the visitor experience. Scholars reviewing the Freedom Center noted that the exhibits were both engaging and deeply educational, and even pointed to the museum as a model for reaching across age groups. I saw firsthand how his steady, thoughtful leadership gave the institution its moral backbone and interpretive direction.
Throughout his career, John was also a leader among his peers. He served as president of the Ohio Museums Association, the Association of African American Museums, and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. His committee and advisory work spanned the American Alliance of Museums, the American Association for State and Local History, the Association of Midwest Museums, the Knight Foundation, and the Journal of Negro History. When John walked into a professional gathering, people listened—not because he was loud, but because he was wise.
John was also a prolific author. In 2005, he published A Summer Remembered: A Memoir, a coming-of-age story that revealed the personal experiences beneath his professional commitments. His earlier work included three books on affirmative action, contributions to the Encyclopedia of African American Education and the Dictionary of American Negro Biography, and more than two dozen other articles and essays. On paper, as in person, John was a clear, principled voice.
After more than 27 years in the museum field—working tirelessly to bring the rich history of African Americans to broad and diverse audiences in Ohio and across the country—John launched a private consulting practice. His clients included major institutions and high-profile exhibitions, but he approached each project with the same humility and seriousness of purpose that characterized his entire career.
For me, John was more than a colleague and collaborator. He was a mentor, a trusted advisor, and a friend. Keeping his name on my consulting team is one small way of honoring the enduring impact he had on my work and on the broader museum community. His voice continues to echo in the projects we take on, the stories we choose to tell, and the standard of integrity we strive to meet.
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