Making a Masterpiece: TaDarius Johnson

TaDarius Johnson

Historical Interpreter and Tour Guide, National Civil Rights Museum

Several visitors to the Memphis area nominated TaDarius Johnson for a Pick Award after he took them on a tour of the National Civil Rights Museum. These visitors described TaDarius as warm, knowledgeable, and passionate about the history he shares with guests. One nominator visited as part of a group of educators from across the United States. They told us: “TaDarius’ commitment to sharing the stories and history of civil rights in the United States is exceptional. As an educator, I am always looking for people in the community who can share their knowledge in a way that excites me to learn more, to do more. TaDarius’ presentation and tour of the Civil Rights Museum should be celebrated!!!” 

TaDarius’ commitment to excellence and his passion for Memphis history made him a great candidate for the second of our 2024 Quarterly Pick Awards! 

What is day-to-day life like in your position?

A day in the life of a historical interpreter varies day to day. Some days you may get seven groups of kids and some days you may get traveling groups from all around the world. That's one thing that I love about this job. No two days look exactly the same. You have to be equipped and flexible to gauge the crowd and to connect with each specific group.

Tell us about one of your favorite stories to share with guests when they're here. Which of the exhibits is your favorite?

I think my favorite exhibit would be the Black Power exhibit because it is so defining to the African American community. A lot of people think that the National Civil Rights Museum mainly focuses on the life and work of Dr. King, but that's a misconception. We encapsulate history from 1619 all the way to 1970. 

And my favorite thing to do in the Black Power exhibit is to talk about when Stokely Carmichael became the very first person to break away from the nonviolent movement. That's my favorite exhibit because you begin to see how the story is going to play out.  People are finding their niches, and they're also creating a cultural identity: in that exhibit we see Afros, Dashikis, the raised Black fist, as well as new art and new music. 

Can you tell me about a memorable experience that you've had here with a guest?

I was talking to a guest the other day, just having a great conversation. He told me he wasn’t from here, but he didn’t tell me where, exactly, he was from. I was explaining to them the seriousness of the movement. A lot of the information seemed new to him. So we ended up talking for about half an hour. And at the end of our conversation, he gave me a Canadian flag pin. If you look at my name tag, you’ll see that Canadian flag. I keep it with me.

Things like that are literally priceless. It means so much to have those experiences. That's what it's like when you have people from all over the world. You get to get a little bit of their culture, and you can take that with you. It's great to be able to interact with people from all over the world. 

What advice would you give to somebody who is coming into this role?

You can never completely understand the intricacies of every single story. But you can find a specific area inside of that museum and make it your own. Find those stories that resonate with you. When people can see the joy that a story brings you, people can see what it really means to you, and they'll understand it better.

Thank you, TaDarius, for sharing your passion with Memphis locals and visitors alike!