Afro-American Historical and Cultural Society Museum facts for kids
The Afro-American Historical and Cultural Society Museum is a special museum located in Jersey City, New Jersey. You can find it on the top floor of the Greenville Branch Public Library. Its goal is to collect, protect, and share the important history and culture of African American people, especially in New Jersey.
The museum is filled with interesting items that tell the story of the African American experience. It has spaces for special talks and changing exhibits, as well as a main collection that is always on display.
What's Inside the Museum?
The museum's collection helps visitors understand African American history through real objects and stories. It shows what life was like for Black people in New Jersey and across the country.
Exhibits and Collections
When you visit, you can see many different things, including:
- Historical Items: The museum has books, old newspapers, photos, and documents. These items help tell the stories of African American history in New Jersey.
- Slavery and Freedom: You can learn about the history of slavery in the state and the Underground Railroad, a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom.
- A Look into the Past: There is a replica of a kitchen from a city home in the 1930s. This shows what daily life was like for families during that time.
- Workers' Rights: An exhibit on the Pullman Porters teaches about the first Black labor union, which fought for fair treatment for African American railroad workers.
- Civil Rights Movement: The museum has information about the fight for equal rights, including the work of the NAACP in New Jersey and visits by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Jersey City.
- Community History: You can explore the history of New Jersey's oldest African American churches and look at records to help people trace their family history.
How the Museum Started
The museum began in the 1970s with a group of dedicated people from the community who wanted to preserve African American history. This group was led by Captain Thomas Taylor, who was the president of the Jersey City NAACP, and included Theodore Brunson, a local history expert, Mrs. Nora Fant, a community activist, and Mrs. Virginia Dunnaway, a teacher.
They started as a small committee and later became an official non-profit organization. In 1984, the museum found its permanent home on the upper floor of the Greenville library.
Later, Glenn Dale Cunningham, who was the first and only African American mayor of Jersey City, helped bring more attention to the museum and its important collection.
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