Jennifer Scott

Jessica Scott is an anthropologist, curator and public historian, whose work explores connections between museums, arts, place, and social justice. She recently served as director and chief curator of Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, a historic landmark in Chicago that focuses on civil rights and human rights issues. At Hull-House, she led the exhibitions, community engagement efforts, and overall vision of the Museum for nearly six years. In 2019, the Museum was recognized with the Award for Excellence in Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice by the Association of Midwest Museums. Previously, Jennifer served as vice director and director of research at Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn, a nationally significant historic site that memorializes a free Black independent community in 19th century New York. Jennifer is currently the Vice-President for the Association of Midwest Museums and a board member for the National Association for Museum Exhibition. A civic leader in Chicago, she was appointed in 2020 by Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot as co-chair of Chicago’s new Monuments and Memorials Advisory Committee. She also serves on the City of Chicago’s Cultural Advisory Council and served as co-chair for the City’s Museum Task Force created to help museums re-open under the pandemic. For over 18 years, Scott has been faculty at The New School in New York, where she teaches courses in arts and civic engagement, cultural anthropology, race and ethnic studies, and museum and global studies. Scott researches, writes, and lectures locally and internationally on arts and social change, memory and place, contested histories and innovative strategies for museums, history sites, arts and cultural centers.