Khalid el-Hakim, Ph.D.

Dr. Khalid el-Hakim, esteemed scholar and curator, is a nationally recognized leader in public history and cultural preservation. In 2023, he received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, reflecting decades of impact that have reached audiences across ESPN and major network affiliates including ABC, NBC, and CBS.

At the heart of his work is the Black History 101 Mobile Museum, a groundbreaking collection of over 15,000 original artifacts spanning from the trans-Atlantic slave trade to contemporary hip-hop culture. This remarkable archive is featured in the documentary Living Proof, which follows the museum’s journey and recently premiered on the international film festival circuit, including screenings in Rome and at the Essence Festival.

As founder and curator, Dr. el-Hakim has reimagined what a museum can be. The Mobile Museum has traveled to more than 1,000 institutions, Fortune 500 companies, major universities, religious centers, government agencies, and K–12 schools, earning national and international acclaim for its innovative approach to teaching Black history.

His influence extends beyond the exhibit space. Dr. el-Hakim served as a national spokesperson for Toyota’s Need a Nudge campaign, leveraging his platform to inspire positive social engagement. His contributions to education and scholarship have earned numerous honors, including the 2021 Freedom Scholar Award from the Association for the Study of African American Life and Culture (ASALH).

Deeply committed to community and pedagogy, Dr. el-Hakim spent 15 years as a middle school social studies teacher in Detroit. He continues to educate and inspire as a university instructor, teaching a course on hip-hop culture and establishing the Michigan Hip Hop Archive at the Lewis Walker Center at Western Michigan University.

Through his visionary leadership, scholarship, and dedication to amplifying marginalized voices, Dr. Khalid el-Hakim stands as a powerful force for resilience, empowerment, and historical understanding.