Richard Allen Cultural Center facts for kids
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Richard Allen Cultural Center
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| Established | July 19, 1992 |
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| Location | 412 Kiowa Street, Leavenworth, Kansas |
The Richard Allen Cultural Center is a special museum in Leavenworth, Kansas. It opened in 1992 to share the important history of African Americans in the area. The museum is located in what used to be the home of Captain William Bly. He was a brave Buffalo Soldier who served in the U.S. Army during World War I. The house is set up to look just like it would have in the early 1900s.
In 2002, a new part was added to the front of the original home. This addition helps the museum show even more items. These items teach visitors about African-American history in Kansas. One display has old photos from the Mary Everhard collection. These pictures show African-American pioneers who lived in and around Leavenworth from the 1870s to the 1920s. The museum also has military items from African-American soldiers. These soldiers served at Fort Leavenworth, including famous people like Colin Powell. The Richard Allen Cultural Center works hard to keep these parts of Leavenworth's history safe. This way, these important stories are never forgotten.
In 2016, a bronze statue of Cathay Williams was placed outside the museum. It includes information about her life. A small rose garden was planted around it.
Museum History
The original home belonged to the Bly family. It was given to the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1991. The museum is right next to this church in Leavenworth. The center was named after Richard Allen. He started the first African Methodist Episcopal church in the United States. The Bly family home became a museum in 1992. The addition built in 2002 created more space. This new space is used for offices, displays, and tutoring classrooms.
Learning and Community Help
The Richard Allen Cultural Center helps children learn. In the basement of the new building, they offer tutoring. Many of the tutors are military officers from Fort Leavenworth. They are part of an organization called ROCKS. This group helps African-American military officers grow in their careers. ROCKS started in the 1960s. Members of THE ROCKS still provide tutoring to children of all backgrounds. They help kids at the Richard Allen Cultural Center with their schoolwork.
