Legacy Museum of African American History facts for kids
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| Founded | 1995 as The Legacy Project |
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| Type | Museum |
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The Legacy Museum of African American History is a special place in Lynchburg, Virginia. It opened in 1995. This museum teaches visitors about the rich history of African American history. It shows how African Americans have shaped the world.
The museum's exhibits cover many important topics. These include the fight for civil rights, how people earned a living, and community groups. It also explores entertainment, sports, medicine, and the role of the Black church. You can learn about different jobs, political life, education, and how people communicated. The museum also shares stories about families and the arts.
The Museum's Story
Before it became a museum, this organization was called The Legacy Project. It started with help from the Lynchburg branch of the NAACP. The NAACP is a very old and important group that works for civil rights.
In 1995, The Legacy Project became an official non-profit organization. This means it's a special group that works for a good cause, not to make money. Two years later, in 1997, the project bought an old house. It was a beautiful 100-year-old building on Monroe Street in Lynchburg.
An Architect named Kelvin Moore helped design how to turn the house into a modern museum. A special team worked to raise $300,000 for the renovations. Another team started collecting old items and documents for the museum's collection. That's when The Legacy Project officially became the Legacy Museum of African American History.
Work on the historic building began in March 1999. The museum had a big celebration and grand opening on June 25, 2000. Dr. Vivian Pinn, a leader in health research, gave the main speech. Two civil rights pioneers, Drucilla Moultrie and Harry Ferguson, helped cut the ribbon. They were both in their 90s. A six-year-old girl named Ashley Lewis also helped.
Since 2006, the museum has worked with other museums in central Virginia. They share ideas about programs and how to help their staff grow.
What the Museum Does
The main goal of the museum is to "collect, preserve and store historical artifacts, documents and memorabilia relating to significant contributions of the African American Community in Lynchburg and its environs." This means they gather, protect, and keep important items. These items tell the stories of African Americans in Lynchburg and the areas around it.
The Museum's Symbol
The museum's logo is a symbol called the Sankofa. This symbol comes from the Akan people of West Africa. It means "return and take from the past that which may have been forgotten in the past but which will be of use today and in the future."
In Ghana, the Sankofa symbol is often stamped on textiles (fabrics). It is also carved onto special objects and tools. It reminds people to learn from history to build a better future.
See also
