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 helps everyone learn about the past, making sure these stories are not forgotten.
The museum first opened in the old home of U.S. Army Captain William Bly. He was a Buffalo Soldier during World War I. Buffalo Soldiers were African American soldiers who served bravely in the U.S. Army. The home is set up to look like it did in the early 1900s.
In 2002, a new part was added to the front of the original house. This addition helps display more items. These items teach about African American history in Kansas. One display shows old photos from the Mary Everhard collection. These "Black Dignity Photos" show African American pioneers. They lived in and around Leavenworth from the 1870s to the 1920s.
Other items include military things from African American soldiers. These soldiers served at Fort Leavenworth. You can even see items related to famous people like Colin Powell. The museum also shows difficult parts of history. It includes items related to groups that caused harm, like the Ku Klux Klan. There are also news articles about sad events that happened to people. The Richard Allen Cultural Center works hard to keep these parts of Leavenworth, Kansas history alive. This way, we can learn from them and remember.
In 2016, a bronze statue of Cathay Williams was placed outside the museum. It includes information about her amazing life. A small rose garden surrounds the statue.
The Museum's Story
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 is 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 new addition in 2002 added more space. This space is used for offices, displays, and tutoring classrooms.
Helping Kids Learn and Grow
The Richard Allen Cultural Center offers tutoring for children. This happens in the basement of the new part of the building. Many tutors are military officers from Fort Leavenworth. They are part of the Buffalo Soldier Chapter of ROCKS. ROCKS is a group that helps African American military officers grow in their careers. Members of THE ROCKS still help tutor children of all backgrounds. They do this at the Richard Allen Cultural Center.
