The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) 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 __NOTOC__ A bicentennial or bicentenary is the two-hundredth anniversary of a part, or the celebrations thereof. It may refer to: Europe *French Revolution bicentennial, commemorating the 200th anniversary of 14 July 1789 uprising, celebrated ...

celebrations, the AAMP is located in historic

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

on Arch Street, a few blocks away from the

Liberty Bell The Liberty Bell, previously called the State House Bell or Old State House Bell, is an iconic symbol of American independence, located in Philadelphia. Originally placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House (now renamed Independence ...

Collection

AAMP currently houses four galleries and an auditorium, each of which offers exhibitions anchored on one of three dominant themes: The African Diaspora, the Philadelphia Story, and the Contemporary Narrative. The museum is home to more than 750,000 objects, images and documents that are made available for research, exhibitions, for loan to other museums, and used in the museum's many educational programs. Temporary exhibits, as well as a variety of family events, workshops, films, tours, symposiums, and concerts relating to African-American culture and history are offered. The AAMP's collection includes, among other things, flyers, memos and memorabilia related to the Philadelphia

Black Panthers The Black Panther Party (BPP), originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was a Marxism-Leninism, Marxist-Leninist and Black Power movement, black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. New ...

, correspondence clippings and military artifacts of the first black doctor to direct a U.S. Army Hospital, academic and legal papers from Harry Shapiro on constitutional issues arising from the civil rights movement, African American occupational and domestic objects, family scrapbooks, sports memorabilia, church and burial records, and artifacts from the

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...

History

Philadelphia has long been known as an important center for African American history and culture. As the United States was being formed in the 18th century, Philadelphia was the center of the abolitionist movement and had the largest free black population.

Founding director

Charles H. Wesley was a noted African American historian, educator, and author. He was the fourth African American to receive a Ph.D. from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

. An ordained minister, Wesley's distinguished career included 40 years of leadership with the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1976, he served as Director of what was then known as the Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum in Philadelphia.

Renaming

In 1997 the Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum became known as the African American Museum in Philadelphia, under executive director Terri S. Rouse.

Reopening

In 2007, the AAMP received a $3 million grant from the city of Philadelphia for building renovations and improving displays for the museum's extensive collection. The museum closed March 9, 2009, and reopened June 18, 2009, with the unveiling of AUDACIOUS FREEDOM, a new core exhibit installation featuring the early history of African Americans in Philadelphia (1776–1876).

Relocation Plans

On August 11, 2022 it was announced by the

City of Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

that the Museum would move to the

Family Court Building The Philadelphia Family Court Building also known as Juvenile and Domestic Branches of the Municipal Court, is a historic building registered under National Park Service's, National Register of Historic Places. The building was constructed betwee ...

in preparation of the

United States Semiquincentennial The United States Semiquincentennial (also called Sestercentennial or Quarter Millennial) will be the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies in 1776. Festivities will be scheduled to mark various events lead ...

Affiliations

The African American Museum in Philadelphia is a member of the Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program.

References

External links

African American Museum in Philadelphia official site

African American Museum in Philadelphia small collections
circa 1850-2014 {{DEFAULTSORT:African American Museum In Philadelphia African-American history in Philadelphia African-American museums in Pennsylvania Market East, Philadelphia Museums in Philadelphia Museums established in 1976