New Orleans African American Museum facts for kids
The New Orleans African American Museum (NOAAM) is a special place in New Orleans, Louisiana. It's located in the Tremé neighborhood, which is the oldest surviving community of Black people in the United States.
The museum's main goal is to teach people about the amazing things that people of African descent have contributed to the culture of New Orleans and Louisiana. This includes their history from the time of slavery and as free people of color (people who were not enslaved). It also covers the time when slavery ended, during a period called Reconstruction, and up to today.
Exploring the Museum's Home
The NOAAM is made up of seven historic buildings. They are all on the land where a large plantation used to be. The main building is a beautiful brick house built in 1828-1829. It's called the Meilleur-Goldthwaite House. It's one of the best examples of a "master's house" (maison de maître) built by Creole people in the city.
This house is a type of Creole cottage with a central hallway and large windows on the roof. Many of its original smaller buildings, inside designs, and parts of the big yard have been kept. They are now part of the museum's site.
In 1991, the City of New Orleans bought the Meilleur-Goldthwaite House. This historic landmark was carefully fixed up. This project was supported by Mayor Marc H. Morial and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The museum has become a very important part of rebuilding the Tremé neighborhood. You can see permanent and temporary art shows inside the main house. There are also exhibits in the buildings where enslaved people used to live. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused a lot of damage to the museum's roof and from water. But it was repaired and reopened in February 2008. More improvements to the other buildings have also been made.
Amazing Art and History
One of the museum's most important collections is called "Louisiana-Congo: the Bertrand Donation." It includes many beautiful African items. You can see beadwork, costumes, masks, textiles, and musical instruments. This collection has 70 original African artworks from the Democratic Republic of Congo. It helps show how daily life in Congo and Louisiana folk culture are similar.
Other exhibits at the museum change regularly. They show a wide range of art, from traditional African art to how Black culture influences modern life in New Orleans.
In 2008, the NOAAM took part in Prospect New Orleans. This was a very large international art show held in the United States. It featured works by famous artists like McCallum + Tarry, William Kentridge, and Rico Gatson. In August 2008, the museum also showed photographs by New York City photographer John Rosenthal that were related to Hurricane Katrina.
In 2011, the city gave the museum money to fix up more buildings. These included the Villa Meilleur, Passebon Cottage (built in 1843), and Passebon's servant quarters. The museum also plans to buy another building at 1417-1419 Governor Nicholls Street. This new building will be used for offices, community events, and other support activities. These changes will help the museum work more with local universities. They can team up on creative arts, museum studies, art, history, and educational programs.
The museum is also a featured stop on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.
See also
