Historic Avenue Cultural Center facts for kids
The Historic Avenue Cultural Center is a special place in Mobile, Alabama. It's a building with a lot of history and cool architecture. Today, it's a space for exhibits and events. It helps connect the new Civil Rights and Cultural Heritage District in Mobile. For many years, from the early 1990s to about 2015, it was called the National African American Archives and Museum. Even before that, it was known as the Davis Avenue Branch of the Mobile Public Library. It was the only library for Black people in Mobile County when laws kept races separate.
A Look at the Center's History
The Davis Avenue Branch of the Mobile Public Library was built in 1931. It was created to serve the local African American community. At that time, laws in the state kept people of different races separate. Black people were not allowed to use libraries meant for White people.
The building had three rooms and was designed by architect George Bigelow Rogers. It cost $26,000 to build. The library looked like a smaller version of the main Ben May Library. The local African American community helped a lot. They collected used books and raised money to buy new ones for the library. During this time, known as the Jim Crow era, facilities for African Americans often received less money from the government. This was because of segregation and laws that made it harder for African Americans to vote.
In 1961, a small part was added to the building. In the late 1960s, after new federal laws ended segregation, this library branch changed. It became a place to store government documents. The old library building was recognized as important in 1983. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1992, the Mobile City Council let a community group use the building. This group started the National African American Archives and Multicultural Museum. Delores S. Dees was the first leader of this organization. The museum showed the history of African Americans in the city, state, and across the United States. It had many items like documents, photos, books, and African carvings. These items told the story of the African American experience. They also showed the many contributions African Americans made to the Mobile area.
Around 2015, the National African American Archives and Museum closed. The city-owned building was empty for several years. In 2018, a partnership between the City of Mobile and Mobile County Commission brought the building back to life. County Commissioner Merceria Ludgood and City Councilor Levon Manzie led this effort. The Mobile County Commission leased, fixed up, and made the old Davis Avenue Library bigger. It became a cultural center on "The Avenue," which was once a busy street for Black businesses and community life. The building officially reopened in October 2023 as the Historic Avenue Cultural Center.
Exhibits and Programs
The first exhibit at the center was called “Remembering the Avenue.” It was put together by Jada Jones. This exhibit was part of a special program by the Alabama Contemporary Arts Center. The Historic Avenue Cultural Center often hosts important cultural programs. Examples include "Protest on The Avenue" and "Poetry on The Avenue."
The Historic Avenue Cultural Center opened just a few months after another important place. This was the Clotilda: The Exhibition at Africatown Heritage House, which opened on July 8, 2023. These new attractions helped Mobile, Alabama receive special recognition. For example, Conde Nast Traveler named Mobile as one of the Top 24 Places To Go in North America and The Caribbean in 2024.
See also
