Through the examination and observation of certain artwork, traces of history and culture seep through and open the doors for a mind willing to be educated about the foreign or understated history of a culture.
The month of February through March 1st is acknowledged as Black History Month because February contains the birthday of two widely known Americans, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, who played a big part in shaping African-American History. The Houston African American Museum has made it their vision to be a gateway for those interested in learning more and being informed about the history of African-Americans through exhibitions and art that convey the black experience.
As you enter into the foyer of the museum, to your left there is a portrait of the 1999 Mayor of Houston, Lee P. Brown, who believed that having an organization solely for African-American culture was important and then arranged for a planning board to begin the work. This led to the Houston Museum of African American Culture being established in 2000. As you walk through the museum, you’ll notice portraits of vocal civil rights activist Sandra Bland, George Floyd, whose deaths ignited protests and riots against injustice, and various other figures who played a part in the history of African-Americans displayed on the walls to send the
message: They will not be forgotten if remembered enough.
Despite the gift shop of the museum being right in front of the entrance in the foyer, it kind of serves as a reward at the end for exploring and when I implored about what aspect of the museum attracted the receptionist to choose a job there, it was revealed that the museum was originally lacking a gift shop and that prompted a special opportunity for them.
“It’s a way for us to be able to allow the guests and the visitors that come in here to take a piece of the experience back home with them,” the museum receptionist said. Through the gift shop, visitors can purchase items they are interested in collecting, items that just have the HMAAC logo on them, or something that relates to any current exhibition the museum might be showcasing.
“It’s a different experience for kids that come in, you know they want to purchase the books because they want to be able to see themselves in something other than what they normally see on a day-to-day basis,” the receptionist said.
The museum offers comfort and a sense of community for African-Americans who might have been feeling like they were lacking enough representation in their society and through the museum, the history and past of a culture are curated and put together as an exhibition to preserve, educate and inform individuals about past and present societal issues.
