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The African American Museum In Philadelphia

African American Museum In Philadelphia Announces New Exhibit May 6 Reopening

How African American Museum in Philadelphia Is Celebrating Juneteenth
    By May 2, 2021

Anna Russell Jones is recognized as the first Black graduate of Moore College of Art and Design.

The African American Museum in Philadelphia will soon join the cadre of cultural institutions that are open to the public.

Starting May 6, the museum will welcome back guests for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic hit.

Sabrina Brooks, chair of AAMPs board of directors, said they are thrilled to welcome guests back in person.

As a Philadelphia institution dedicated to honoring the history and culture of African American and Black communities, Brooks said, we are deeply committed to teaching, learning, and bearing witness to the stories of African Americans and the African Diaspora in all its permutations.

The science museum on the Parkway has received a $1 million gift to develop new science exhibitions.

9 months ago

The museums reopening marks the launch of a new exhibit that features a pioneering Philly graduate: Anna Russell Jones: The Art of Design.

Known for her wallpaper and carpet designs, Jones is recognized as the first Black graduate of Moore College of Art and Design. The AAMP exhibit, pulling archival materials from a rare collection, marries Jones interest in African American history and civil rights, and her commitment to public service.

Anna Russell Jones: The Art of Design will be on view through Sept. 12.

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African American Museum Of Phila Celebrates 40 Years

  • Bobbi BookerTribune Staff Writer

Founded in 1976, the African American Museum in Philadelphia is the first cultural institution funded and built by a major municipality to preserve, interpret and exhibit the heritage of African Americans. Photo Courtesy Visit Philly

City Council members presented a citation to the African American Museum in Philadelphia during the opening of a new exhibit at Philadelphia International Airport. submitted photo

Throughout its 40-year history, the African American Museum in Philadelphia has been committed to telling the historic and stoic stories of Blacks in America.

Patricia Wilson Aden is the president and CEO of the African American Museum in Philadelphia, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

Founded in 1976, the African American Museum in Philadelphia is the first cultural institution funded and built by a major municipality to preserve, interpret and exhibit the heritage of African Americans.

Throughout its 40-year history, AAMP has remained committed to telling the story of African Americans from pre-Colonial times to the current day.

Over the past four decades we understand that we are a touchstone for our regions cultural landscape, said its CEO, Patricia Wilson Aden. We want to ensure that we continue to be the premier destination offering a unique perspective on African American art, history and culture and also that of the African Diaspora.

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How To Get There

Guests of The Constitutional Walking Tour can easily walk to the African American Museum from the National Constitution Center where our tours conclude. Simply walk west along Arch St and the African American Museum is only one block away at the intersection of 7th and Arch Streets. The African American Museum is also one of the stops allong the route of The Constitutional Bus Tour.

Those commuting from elsewhere in the city will find the Museum easy to reach by public Transportation. The African American Museum is only minutes away from subway stops on the , the PATCO subway and Broad Ridge Spur. The African American Museum is also just a few blocks away from Jefferson Station a major hub for Philadelphias Regional Rail System.

Celebrating The Life And Contributions Of A People

The African American Museum in Philadelphia

Founded in 1976, in celebration of the U.S. Bicentennial, The African American Museum in Philadelphia is dedicated to collecting, preserving and interpreting the material and intellectual culture of African Americans in Philadelphia, the Delaware Valley, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Americas. The land on which the museum was built was once part of a historic black community. The museum is committed to telling the story of African Americans in all its permutations: family life, the Civil Rights movement, arts and entertainment, sports, medicine, architecture, politics, religion, law and technology. Its public programming is designed to complement its exhibitions and has been augmented with workshops and demonstrations, concerts, films, dance performance, poetry readings, book signings, story telling, lectures and seminars.

Over the years, AAMP’s collection has grown to include over 400,000 objects, images and documents ranging from utilitarian and domestic objects to fine and folk art, memorabilia, furnishings and costumes, photographs and negatives, books and periodicals. Our holdings are made available for research, exhibitions, for loan to other museums, and used in the museum’s many educational programs.

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Building On The Dream Exhibit

The AAMBC exhibit Building on the Dream: From Africa to Bucks County pays tribute to the lives, culture, accomplishments, and contributions of African Americans in Bucks County from their origins in Africa through the 21st century. The exhibit features a timeline of events in African American history in Pennsylvania, including a memorial list of African Americans who were registered as slaves in Bucks County in the 18th and 19th centuries as well as the history of the Underground Railroad in Bucks County and the role of Bucks County AME churches in helping African Americans transition from slavery to freedom. This exhibit, which also features notable 20th century African Americans in Bucks County, is made possible by the generous support of Visit Bucks County. Admission to the Exhibit Gallery is complimentary.

Bucks County Visitor Center is located at 3207 Street Road, Bensalem, PA.*All visitors must wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Welcome To The African American Museum In Philadelphia’s Online Collections Database

The African American Museum in Philadelphia is the first institution built by a major United States city to house and interpret the life and work of African Americans. Our doors are open for your enjoyment and enlightenment. Visit us and experience the richness and vibrancy of African American heritage and culture come alive in four magnificent exhibition galleries filled with exciting history and fascinating art.

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The Black Journey: African

Learn about the history of Black Philadelphia while soaking in the fullest array of our nations most important and historic monuments and sights. With a focus on the citys early history, The Black Journey will bring to light every detail of Phillys Black past. Walk in the footsteps of enslaved…

Tour DescriptionMeet your guide in front of the Independence Visitor Center, 6th and Market Street, Philadelphia .Every Saturday and public holidays during the spring, summer, and autumn at 2:00pm. RSVP in advance required…

The Black Journey was featured in an NBC10 article about the Fourth of July events in Philadelphia!”Nearby, local attorney Raina Yancey was giving a tour at The President’s House at the corner of Fifth and Market streets, the location of George Washington’s house when he became the first comm…

Take a journey to Congo Square, visit the unmarked graves of free and enslaved victims of the yellow fever epidemic, learn about the Quaker school where both Black and White students were educated together and other locations you will visit first hand. See where the Fugitive Slave Act was passed …

This was an amazing walking tour of independence square and landmarks and buildings around it from a black history perspective. Learned a ton from our tour guide Myjule. Highly recommend.

What Else Is Open

Philadelphia’s African American Museum reopens after 14-month closure

Also on view, as a permanent exhibition, is Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia 1776-1876, which recounts the stories of people of African descent in Philly during the years that followed the nations founding.

For those who cannot visit in person, or who would rather opt for the virtual experience, AAMP will also continue offering online exhibitions and special events.

A current online exhibition, Rendering Justice, offers an expansive view of mass incarceration and its role in contemporary America. Also available for view online is Through His Eyes: Youth Activism in the Civil Rights Era In Philadelphia. The virtual exhibit pulls from Jack T. Franklins AAMP photographic collection to highlight these often-overlooked civil rights activists.

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African American Museum Tribute To Mlk

Dr. Ashley Jordan, the President and CEO of the African American Museum joins us to discuss the history of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and how her company is spreading awareness of MLK in Philadelphia.

This weekend the museum has been a celebration, a time of reflection to commemorate the life and legacy of MLK. The Museum has put together a series of virtual programs to talk about his life to bring more awareness to these causes for civil rights and equality for all.

Today they are open and have a unique sponsorship from a citizens bank. This collaboration will allow free admissions to all, but it is timely.

Social distancing practices will be in place. There will even be a keynote speaker at 1:45 pm, which will be virtual with Doctor Scott from Beachman company, where he will talk about grassroots.

Philly Museum Celebrates The Spirit Of Unity On The First Day Of Kwanzaa

Maisha Ogonza at the first day of the African American Museum in Philadelphias Kwanzaa celebration.

Kwanzaa is a weeklong holiday that celebrates Black culture, freedom, and family, beginning each year on Dec. 26.

Born out of the Black Power movement and the African American struggle for freedom, it has been a tradition since the late 1960s, especially in Philadelphia.

We were organizing, and we were looking for ways to mobilize and re-Africanize ourselves, said Maisha Ongoza, who recalled learning about Kwanzaa while attending an early Black Power movement conference in Philadelphia back in 1968.

Ongoza is known locally as Mama Maisha and has been teaching people about the holiday for decades with the Kwanzaa Cooperative, serving Greater Philadelphia, New Jersey, Delaware, and New York.

On Sunday, she taught a Kwanzaa 101 course at a celebration hosted by the African American Museum in Philadelphia.

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African American Museum In Philadelphia

African American Museum in Philadelphia

Established

The African American Museum in Philadelphia is notable as the first museum funded and built by a municipality to help preserve, interpret and exhibit the heritage of African Americans. Opened during the 1976 Bicentennial celebrations, the AAMP is located in historic Philadelphia on Arch Street, a few blocks away from the Liberty Bell.

What When Where

Museums in Philadelphia  Visit Philadelphia

Portals + Revelations: Richard J. Watson Beyond Realities. Through March 6, 2022, at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia. $14. 574-0380 or aampmuseum.org.

The museum is strongly enforcing that visitors always wear masks and social distance. There are hand sanitizing stations at the entry to every floor and throughout each exhibit room.

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What To See

In 2009, the African American Museum underwent and extensive renovation project which included the creation of a new permanent display, Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia 1776-1876. This display focuses on the contributions made by people of African descent in Philadelphia during the years following the founding of America and deep into the 19th century.

An interactive timeline guides guests through 100 years of African American history in Philadelphia using images, documents and historical records to explore the lives of Philadelphian African Americans during this turbulent time and their unheralded impact on America. Giant video projections allow historical figures to come to life, giving a voice to African American Philadelphians such as Octavious Catto, Frances Watkins Harper, and the aforementioned Richard Allen. The permanent Audacious Freedom display also includes a childrens corner where kids between the ages of 3 and 8 can explore history in a hands on environment.

Why Visit

The African American Museum in Philadelphia, founded in 1976, is the first institution built by a major U.S. city to preserve, interpret and exhibit the heritage and culture of African-Americans.

The museum features a rotating calendar of programs and events, from lectures and film screenings. Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia

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