Since the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum (BSNM) opened its doors on Jan. 5, 2001, founder Captain Paul Matthews has been the face.
But for the past eight years, the institution has been led by another: Desmond Bertrand-Pitts. That quiet leadership transition, along with the BSNM’s sustained excellence, speaks volumes to Bertrand-Pitts’ leadership.
So, just who is Bertrand-Pitts? The Defender recently interviewed him to learn more about him and his vision for the institution.
Continuing family legacy
Though Bertrand-Pitts’ connection to the BSNM may be new to some, it’s not new to him by any stretch.
“I’ve always been part of the museum in some capacity,” said Bertrand-Pitts, who was “voluntold” as a teenager to give his time to Matthews, who happens to be Bertrand-Pitts’ grandfather.
“At 13, 14 years old, I had no idea what this really meant and how impactful it could be to the community and to families. But I had a conversation with my grandfather a while back, and he said he always knew that I would be part of the museum in terms of leadership capacity.”
Bertrand-Pitts, who holds a bachelor’s degree in biology (Lamar University) and master’s degrees in business (American InterContinental University) and educational leadership (Lamar University), said around 2012 he was trying to plan his next career move. Because the museum needed help at the time, he started working there in multiple capacities.
“I have done everything in the museum from curating exhibits to mopping floors and working in the gift shop,” shared Bertrand-Pitts, a Louisiana native who moved to Houston at nine years old. “But when this position came up about seven, eight years ago, it was one of those things where we tried out another director … it didn’t work out. The next thing would’ve been my grandfather coming back out of retirement and doing it all over. So, I stepped up, I raised my hand and said, ‘Hey, let me try it.’ And eight years later, I’m still here.”
Importance of the BSNM
With his background, Bertrand-Pitts knows full well the importance of the institution he leads.
“Although we’re known as the Buffalo Soldier National Museum, we’re actually the Center for African American Military History. That’s our legal name with the IRS. What we exhibit here and the stories that we share cover the entire African American military experience, from the Revolutionary War to the present day,” Bertrand-Pitts said about the BSNM, which features a collection of artifacts, archives, documents, discharge papers, uniforms and oral histories.
“We do presentations and lectures on military experiences… We’re an American history institution. We feature the African American military experience, but there is something that every person who walks through the door, there is something they can take back home and remember and reflect on,” he added.
DEI attacks
Bertrand-Pitts says that in this season of Black history being censored and books by Black authors being “whitelisted,” institutions like the BSNM are needed now more than ever.
“In all honesty, we don’t know how to react and how to respond other than continuing to share the stories that we already do. And when I say that, I mean it with all intentionality. We’re not changing, we’re not shifting,” Bertrand-Pitts said. “There is no removal of DEI. None of that is happening here because I view DEI for the African American community as our full identity. We are diversity, equity and inclusion. So, there’s no way to remove our full identity.”
He continued: “We’re gonna continue to share the stories. We’re gonna continue to tell you the full and true history of African-American men and women who’ve served. And it comes with all the blood, sweat and tears, slavery, all of the things that led up to where we are today. We’re not skating over anything… We’re gonna continue to do what we’ve been doing.”
Testimony
And according to colleague Dr. Kheli Willetts, Bertrand-Pitts is the right person for the job, describing his leadership as “transformational.”
“He has built upon a legacy established by his grandfather and has transformed the institution so it reflects museum best practices,” said Willetts, a museum professional and former African American art history and film professor with three decades of experience in the field. “The fact of the matter is that this is the place for everyone, and that’s the spirit in which he does his work. As a result, he’s able to activate partnerships and attract donors and people that you would traditionally not even expect to come through the doors. His leadership is visionary, and it’s a really wonderful thing to see.”
