This is a list of
museums in the United States whose primary focus is on
African American culture and history. Such museums are commonly known as African American museums. According to scholar Raymond Doswell, an African American museum is "an institution established for the preservation of African-derived culture."[1]
Museums have a mission of "collecting and preserving material on history and cultural heritage." African American museums share these goals with archives, genealogy groups, historical societies, and research libraries.[2] Museums differ from archives, genealogy groups, historical societies, memorials, and research libraries because they have as a basic educational or aesthetic purpose the collection and display of objects, and regular exhibitions for the public.[3] Being open to the public (not just researchers or by appointment) and having regular hours sets museums apart from historical sites or other facilities that may call themselves museums.[3]
History of African American museums in the United States
The first African American museum was the College Museum in
Hampton, Virginia, established in 1868.[2] Prior to 1950, there were about 30 museums devoted to African American culture and history in the United States. These were located primarily at
historically black colleges and universities or at libraries that had significant African American culture and history collections.[4]
^The museum was known as the Center for African Art at its founding, and changed its name in 1933 to the Museum for African Art.[10] The name was changed again in 2013 to the New Africa Center,[11] and by 2014 had dropped the word "New" in favor of The Africa Center.[12]
^Founded in 1983 by the Parker-Gray Alumni and the Alexandria Society for the Preservation of Black Heritage, the museum was originally an archive known as the Alexandria Black History Research Center. Volunteers staffed the archive. In 1987, the City of Alexandria agreed to take over the archive, expanded its mission, and turned it into the Alexandria Black History Museum.[28]
^Smith, Henrietta M. (Fall 2002). "The African-American Research Library and Cultural Center of the Broward County Library: Building Bridges and Beyond". Reference and User Services Quarterly: 21.
^The museum opened in 1983, but closed in 1985 due to space limitations. It reopened in larger quarters in 1988. Some sources use the 1988 date as the museum's founding. See: Harley-Adams, Sandra. "Baltimore's Black Wax Museum." The Crisis. February 1989, p. 12.
^Danilov, Victor J. Women and Museums: A Comprehensive Guide. Lanham, Md.: AltaMira Press, 2005, p. 238.
^Washburn, Mark (October 25, 2009). "Vivian and John Hewitt Built the Art Collection That Led to the Building of Harvey B. Gantt Center". The Charlotte Observer. p. 1A.
^Minchin, Timothy J. and Salmond, John A. After the Dream: Black and White Southerners Since 1965. Lexington, Ky.: University Press of Kentucky, 2011, p. 259.
^Sheth, Tachna (November 9, 2004). "History in a Satchel". Austin American-Statesman. p. B1.
^Amaral, Jorge. "Making Room for History." Hartford Courant. May 20, 2005; Goode, Steven. "Grand Vision For Hartford's Northwest School." Hartford Courant. October 2, 2010.
^"Riley House Receives Collection of Abolitionist Papers." Black Issues in Higher Education. October 7, 2004, p. 13.
^Lee, Anne Carter (2015). Buildings of Virginia: Valley, Piedmont, Southside and Southwest. Charlottesville, Va.: University of Virginia Press. p. 55.
ISBN9780813935652.
^"Cochran Brings Group a Message of 'Excellence'." Wichita Eagle. November 7, 1999.
^"L. E. Coleman Museum Opens This Saturday." The Gazette-Virginian. October 14, 2005.
^While the national historic site was designated in 1980, the museum in the visitors center was not constructed until 1996. See: Scott, David Logan and Scott, Kay Woelfel. Guide to the National Park Areas: Eastern States. Guilford, Conn.: Globe Pequot Press, 2004, p. 55; Davis, Ren and Davis, Helen. Atlanta Walks: A Comprehensive Guide to Walking, Running, and Bicycling the Area's Scenic and Historic Locales. Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers, 2011, p. 26.
^Davis, Ryan. "A Cultural Icon Rises From the Ashes in Historic Little Rock." The Crisis. Summer 2009, p. 39-40.
^"Muhammad Ali Returns Home for Center Dedication." Jet. December 12, 2005, p. 52.
^Kaufman, Polly Welts. Boston Women's Heritage Trail: Seven Self-Guided Walking Tours Through Four Centuries of Boston Women's History. Boston: Boston Women's Heritage Trail, 2006, p. 36.
^Bertho, Michelle; Crawford, Beverly; and Fogarty, Edward A. The Impact of Globalization on the United States. Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 2008, p. 46.
^Ruffings, Fath Davis. "Culture Wars Won and Lost, Part II: Ethnic Museums on the Mall." Radical History Review. June 1998, p. 80.
^Lafo, Rachel Rosenfield; Capasso, Nicholas J.; and Uhrhane, Jennifer. Painting in Boston, 1950–2000. Lincoln, Mass.: DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, 2002, p. 36.
^"Civil Rights Museum Opens in Memphis." Jet. July 22, 1991, p. 14.
^Some sources claim the museum did not open until 1997. The museum moved to new quarters in 1997, but opened in 1990. See: Rielly, Edward J. Baseball in the Classroom: Essays on Teaching the National Pastime. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co, 2006, p. 34; Pahigian, Josh. 101 Baseball Places to Visit Before You Strike Out. Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press, 2008, p. 9.
^American Association for State and Local History. Directory of Historical Organizations in the United States and Canada. Walnut Creek, Calif.: AltaMira Press, 2002, p. 146.
^"Joplin's Home to Be Restored". Springfield Leader and Press. June 9, 1983. p. 13; Rice, Patricia (April 29, 1991). "Kids Dig Archeology". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 37; Rose, Louis J. (October 7, 1991). "Dedication: Home Where Scott Joplin Lived Is Marked As State Historic Site". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. A3.
^"Universities Around the State Celebrate Black History Month With Music, Plays, Forums, Movies and Speakers". Abbeville Meridional. February 4, 2007. p. 8.
Evelyn, Douglas E.; Dickson, Paul; Ackerman, S.J. (2008). On This Spot: Pinpointing the Past in Washington, D.C. Sterling, Va.: Capital Books.
ISBN9780918339744.
Doswell, Raymond (2008). Evaluating Educational Value in Museum Exhibitions: Establishing an Evaluation Process for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (Ed.D.). Department of Educational Leadership, Kansas State University.
ISBN9780549598282.
This is a list of
museums in the United States whose primary focus is on
African American culture and history. Such museums are commonly known as African American museums. According to scholar Raymond Doswell, an African American museum is "an institution established for the preservation of African-derived culture."[1]
Museums have a mission of "collecting and preserving material on history and cultural heritage." African American museums share these goals with archives, genealogy groups, historical societies, and research libraries.[2] Museums differ from archives, genealogy groups, historical societies, memorials, and research libraries because they have as a basic educational or aesthetic purpose the collection and display of objects, and regular exhibitions for the public.[3] Being open to the public (not just researchers or by appointment) and having regular hours sets museums apart from historical sites or other facilities that may call themselves museums.[3]
History of African American museums in the United States
The first African American museum was the College Museum in
Hampton, Virginia, established in 1868.[2] Prior to 1950, there were about 30 museums devoted to African American culture and history in the United States. These were located primarily at
historically black colleges and universities or at libraries that had significant African American culture and history collections.[4]
^The museum was known as the Center for African Art at its founding, and changed its name in 1933 to the Museum for African Art.[10] The name was changed again in 2013 to the New Africa Center,[11] and by 2014 had dropped the word "New" in favor of The Africa Center.[12]
^Founded in 1983 by the Parker-Gray Alumni and the Alexandria Society for the Preservation of Black Heritage, the museum was originally an archive known as the Alexandria Black History Research Center. Volunteers staffed the archive. In 1987, the City of Alexandria agreed to take over the archive, expanded its mission, and turned it into the Alexandria Black History Museum.[28]
^Smith, Henrietta M. (Fall 2002). "The African-American Research Library and Cultural Center of the Broward County Library: Building Bridges and Beyond". Reference and User Services Quarterly: 21.
^The museum opened in 1983, but closed in 1985 due to space limitations. It reopened in larger quarters in 1988. Some sources use the 1988 date as the museum's founding. See: Harley-Adams, Sandra. "Baltimore's Black Wax Museum." The Crisis. February 1989, p. 12.
^Danilov, Victor J. Women and Museums: A Comprehensive Guide. Lanham, Md.: AltaMira Press, 2005, p. 238.
^Washburn, Mark (October 25, 2009). "Vivian and John Hewitt Built the Art Collection That Led to the Building of Harvey B. Gantt Center". The Charlotte Observer. p. 1A.
^Minchin, Timothy J. and Salmond, John A. After the Dream: Black and White Southerners Since 1965. Lexington, Ky.: University Press of Kentucky, 2011, p. 259.
^Sheth, Tachna (November 9, 2004). "History in a Satchel". Austin American-Statesman. p. B1.
^Amaral, Jorge. "Making Room for History." Hartford Courant. May 20, 2005; Goode, Steven. "Grand Vision For Hartford's Northwest School." Hartford Courant. October 2, 2010.
^"Riley House Receives Collection of Abolitionist Papers." Black Issues in Higher Education. October 7, 2004, p. 13.
^Lee, Anne Carter (2015). Buildings of Virginia: Valley, Piedmont, Southside and Southwest. Charlottesville, Va.: University of Virginia Press. p. 55.
ISBN9780813935652.
^"Cochran Brings Group a Message of 'Excellence'." Wichita Eagle. November 7, 1999.
^"L. E. Coleman Museum Opens This Saturday." The Gazette-Virginian. October 14, 2005.
^While the national historic site was designated in 1980, the museum in the visitors center was not constructed until 1996. See: Scott, David Logan and Scott, Kay Woelfel. Guide to the National Park Areas: Eastern States. Guilford, Conn.: Globe Pequot Press, 2004, p. 55; Davis, Ren and Davis, Helen. Atlanta Walks: A Comprehensive Guide to Walking, Running, and Bicycling the Area's Scenic and Historic Locales. Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers, 2011, p. 26.
^Davis, Ryan. "A Cultural Icon Rises From the Ashes in Historic Little Rock." The Crisis. Summer 2009, p. 39-40.
^"Muhammad Ali Returns Home for Center Dedication." Jet. December 12, 2005, p. 52.
^Kaufman, Polly Welts. Boston Women's Heritage Trail: Seven Self-Guided Walking Tours Through Four Centuries of Boston Women's History. Boston: Boston Women's Heritage Trail, 2006, p. 36.
^Bertho, Michelle; Crawford, Beverly; and Fogarty, Edward A. The Impact of Globalization on the United States. Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 2008, p. 46.
^Ruffings, Fath Davis. "Culture Wars Won and Lost, Part II: Ethnic Museums on the Mall." Radical History Review. June 1998, p. 80.
^Lafo, Rachel Rosenfield; Capasso, Nicholas J.; and Uhrhane, Jennifer. Painting in Boston, 1950–2000. Lincoln, Mass.: DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, 2002, p. 36.
^"Civil Rights Museum Opens in Memphis." Jet. July 22, 1991, p. 14.
^Some sources claim the museum did not open until 1997. The museum moved to new quarters in 1997, but opened in 1990. See: Rielly, Edward J. Baseball in the Classroom: Essays on Teaching the National Pastime. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co, 2006, p. 34; Pahigian, Josh. 101 Baseball Places to Visit Before You Strike Out. Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press, 2008, p. 9.
^American Association for State and Local History. Directory of Historical Organizations in the United States and Canada. Walnut Creek, Calif.: AltaMira Press, 2002, p. 146.
^"Joplin's Home to Be Restored". Springfield Leader and Press. June 9, 1983. p. 13; Rice, Patricia (April 29, 1991). "Kids Dig Archeology". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 37; Rose, Louis J. (October 7, 1991). "Dedication: Home Where Scott Joplin Lived Is Marked As State Historic Site". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. A3.
^"Universities Around the State Celebrate Black History Month With Music, Plays, Forums, Movies and Speakers". Abbeville Meridional. February 4, 2007. p. 8.
Evelyn, Douglas E.; Dickson, Paul; Ackerman, S.J. (2008). On This Spot: Pinpointing the Past in Washington, D.C. Sterling, Va.: Capital Books.
ISBN9780918339744.
Doswell, Raymond (2008). Evaluating Educational Value in Museum Exhibitions: Establishing an Evaluation Process for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (Ed.D.). Department of Educational Leadership, Kansas State University.
ISBN9780549598282.