History of the Chattanooga
African American Museum
The Chattanooga
African-American Museum
has a long
history of
commitment
to the Chattanooga community.
More than
twenty-five
years
ago, Roy Noel,
Jacola Goodwin,
Sallie Crenshaw,
Agnes Locke,
Leonard Wellington, Elizabeth
Champion, Levi Moore,
Rayburn Traughber, Catherine
Kimble,
Rev. William Banks,
and
others
held the first meeting
of the
Afro American Heritage
Council
at the Central City Complex.
Early photo of museum
The purpose of the organization
was to preserve,
develop, exhibit,
study and advocate meaningful approaches to
educate the
community about the
contributions
of the
African-American to
the
community and this nation.
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2010
Museum Staff
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Rose
M. Martin
Executive
Director |
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Carmen Davis |
Kelvin Lloyd |
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Danny Toney |
Pat Lott |
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Marty Mitchell |
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The Afro American Heritage Council was chartered by the State of
Tennessee on April 15, 1977. The Heritage Council was an affiliate
program of Good Neighbors, Inc. The first museum was located at
1001 M. L. King Boulevard. The Research Center was located at 730
East M. L. King Boulevard where George Ricks, Helen Strange and
others worked with Roy Noel collecting items for documentation.
A great day came when the Museum was relocated to its present
location at 200 East M. L. King Boulevard. This was a watershed
event in the development of the museum where there was some
welcome “elbow room” and where the real promise of the vision of
its founders could be brought into reality.
A NEW MUSEUM
– A NEW
BEGINNING – NEW CHALLENGES
An original goal for the development of the Museum was to present
the many contributions African Americans have made to the
development of Chattanooga. The rise in the number of African
American Museums during the 1960s paralleled the growth in African
American studies throughout the nation. Both visions were attempts
to compensate for the failure of the American education system to
provide for the adequate inclusion of the role of African
Americans in American history and culture. The
Chattanooga African-American Museum has become a recognized
educational institution. Its facilities are utilized daily by a
rainbow coalition of Chattanooga school children, adults,
scholars, and visitors from countries around the world.
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The city
and county government, arts organizations, Allied Arts, Tennessee
Arts Commission, Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau,
Association of African American Museums have all assisted the
museum in establishing itself as a source for cultural enrichment
and broadened personal horizons.
As one tours the museum, it becomes clear that we are forging
ahead with our motto as our guide:
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"History Has Been Made;
Now
It Is Up To Us To Preserve It." |
African hut display at museum
Chattanooga's
BESSIE SMITH
was
proclaimed
"Empress of the
Blues."
The Chattanooga
African American
Museum
houses the
Bessie Smith
Performance Hall
dedicated to the heritage
of
Bessie Smith.
Since merging with the Museum, the hall has also become a
recognized educational institution.
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