NAAMCC Queens of the Heartland Exhibit
Wins 2021 AASLH Award of Excellence
|
|
|
 The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) proudly announces that the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center (NAAMCC) is the recipient of an Award of Excellence for its Queens of the Heartland exhibition. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards, now in its 76th year, is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history.
Queens of the Heartland (click to view virtual tour) features the stories of 30 Ohio African American women who were a significant influence in the Suffrage and Civil Rights Movements from the 19th through the 21st centuries. Dr. Charles Wash, director of the NAAMCC, explains, “The exhibit tells the stories of these influential women through panel text and three-dimensional objects." Wash added, "I am so proud of our entire team because everyone worked together to complete Queens during the first seven months of the pandemic. We were able to open the exhibit last August, only to then have to close NAAMCC again last October. It's gratifying to have our team recognized for their determination, expertise, and passion."
This year, AASLH is proud to confer thirty-eight national awards honoring people, projects, exhibits, and publications. The winners represent the best in the field and provide leadership for the future of state and local history. The AASLH awards program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States.
The American Association for State and Local History is a not-for-profit professional organization of individuals and institutions working to preserve and promote history. From its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, AASLH provides leadership, service, and support for its members who preserve and interpret state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful to all people. AASLH publishes books, technical publications, a quarterly magazine, and maintains numerous affinity communities and committees serving a broad range of constituents across the historical community. The association also sponsors an annual meeting, regional and national training in-person workshops, and online training.
|
|
|
Update- New Entry Deadline for the 2021 Art of Soul! Juried Art Show - Mon. July 5
|
|
|
 Due to many requests from artists from across the country, the submission deadline has been extended to Mon., July 5. This extension date is final and will allow us to open the 2021 show by Sept. 25. If you have already submitted your entry, Thank You!
Overview
The National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center (NAAMCC) presents the 2021 Art of Soul! Juried Art Show. The exhibit will open on Saturday, September 25, 2021, at the NAAMCC, 1350 Brush Row Road. Participants and winners will be recognized at the Artists’ Reception and Awards Ceremony at NAAMCC on Saturday, February 26, 2022.
Artists from across the United States are invited to submit their work to the national juried art exhibition in response to the theme of Black Future. Applicants must submit a completed entry form along with their non-refundable entry fee (see Entry Fees & Payments below). Click here to download the entry form and submission guidelines. All submissions should emphasize themes and perspectives related to the African diaspora or African American culture, history, or experience. NOTE: A panel of judges will review all entries. Details on submission guidelines and formats are included in the Call For Artists packet.
Entry Fees & Payments
Each applicant must submit a non-refundable entry fee of $25 for one (1) entry and $50 for up to three (3) entries. Payments can be made online using a credit or debit card using this link. Other payment methods: NAAMCC will accept a Money Order or cashier’s check payable to the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center. Money Order or cashier’s checks must be received within five calendar days of the entry form submission. All entry applications and fees must be received by 11:59 pm on Mon., July 5, 2021. At that time, any entry application that is received without payment will be automatically disqualified. Only completed entries will be accepted.
For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 800.752.2603
ext. 0
|
|
|
Join NAAMCC for our Summer Programs
|
|
|
|
NAAMCC is offering a diverse menu of online and live programs featuring thought-provoking topics covering art and history. Use the links in each description to register for the online programs. For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..or call or call 800.752.2603 ext. 0.
June
Sat., Jun. 19 • 1–2:30 p.m.
Black Music: The Soundtrack of Humanity
A special program in commemoration of Juneteenth
Co-hosted by the Ohio History Connection
$20/per registrant; $5/Ohio History Connection member; Free/Ohio History Connection premium member
Join us in commemorating Juneteeth as we explore Black music with two renowned performers and educators. Dr. Ted McDaniel and Dr. Mark Lomax III will discuss Black music as a continuum and reflect on spirituals and blues related to the foundation of global music. In addition, they will talk about music as a symbol of resistance during the late 1800s and beyond. Dr. Lomax will share selections from his collection, 400: An Afrikan Epic, that directly relate to Juneteenth. Tickets: Ohio History Connection (blackbaudhosting.com). Learn more about the history and significance of Juneteeth in a blog post written by Jerolyn Barbee and Derek Pridemore of the National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center. See that post here.
July
Thursday, Jul. 15 • 7 p.m. Free Program
Raggin’ On: The Art of Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson’s House and Journals
Carole Genshaft and Deidre Hamlar, co-curators of Raggin’ On: The Art of Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson’s House and Journals, will discuss the exhibition on view through Oct. 3 at the Columbus Museum of Art. They will examine the artist’s lifelong dedication to documenting the ordinary and extraordinary lives of Black people to “fill in the blank pages of American history.” The exhibition and accompanying catalog are part of the Aminah Robinson Legacy Project, established after Robinson bequeathed almost her entire estate to the Museum before she passed away in 2015. The curators will also discuss aspects of the Legacy Project, including renovating the artist’s house and establishing the Aminah Robinson residency for African American artists. Register for this free education program through this Zoom link.
August
Saturday, Aug. 7 • Noon - 4 p.m. Free Program
Poindexter Village Drum Circle
In collaboration with the James Preston Poindexter Foundation, the Ohio History Connection and NAAMCC will host a Poindexter Village Drum Circle around the Poindexter Legacy Tree at 290 S. Champion Ave., Columbus, Ohio. For centuries drum circles have been a source of cultural expression and unity. This outdoor experience will feature drum call-and-response, community leaders, music, puppet storytellers, and drum-making and art craft tables. Local artist vendors and food trucks will be there for you and your family to enjoy during the event. For more information, go to Poindextervillagemuseum.org or call or call 800.752.2603 ext. 0.
Saturday, Aug. 21 • 10 a.m. -4 p.m.
NAAMCC Get on the Bus Tour
Join us for a fun and educational trip to the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center in Wilberforce, Ohio. Experience our fantastic exhibits with a NAAMCC curator and use your creativity during an arts & crafts activity. Tickets: $20 per person – includes transportation, a box lunch, and museum admission. Leaves from the Ohio History Center in Columbus at 10 a.m. -- Return to Columbus by 4:00 p.m. Register through our Facebook page or website starting Monday, July 5, 2020. For more information, call 800.752.2603 ext. 0.
|
|
|
|
 We are excited to welcome you back to see our fabulous exhibitions:
Rhythm of Revolution
Using three-dimensional objects from the NAAMCC collections, Rhythm of Revolution explores how Black artists, religious leaders, and activists worked within their spheres of influence to transform Ohio and our nation. Over time, these known and unknown change agents connected deeply rooted African traditions to their experiences in America to solve contemporary challenges by paving the way to a better future.
Queens of the Heartland
The exhibit features the stories of 30 Ohio African American women who were a significant influence in the Arts, Science, Women's Suffrage, and Civil Rights Movements from the 19th through the 21st centuries. The Queens of the Heartland exhibit tells the stories of these change-makers through panel text as well as three-dimensional objects. This exhibit includes portrait illustrations of these historical figures by New York artist Nichole Washington, whose current work focuses on identity and celebrates African American women.
African Americans Fighting For a Double Victory
Explore the many ways that African Americans served our country in the military and on the home front during World War II through this exhibit of World War II materials from the NAAMCC collections. Discover the art of Charles Alston, commissioned by the Office of War Information to promote the war effort among African Americans, explore stories of the Tuskegee Airmen, the Red Ball Express, and Wilberforce-area veterans. Learn more about the impact of African American World War II veterans had on the advances in Civil Rights that happened during and after the war.
Behind the Mask-Black Power in Comics
Behind the Mask: Black Power in Comics explores African Americans’ painful and triumphant history in comic books. The exhibit delves into the history of black comic book characters who, in the past, were rarely featured as heroes. Black comic book creators are now emerging to establishing superheroes of their own, reflecting a truer self-identity and cultural pride.
What’s in your attic? -Selections From Our Permanent Collection
When the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center (NAAMCC) opened its doors in 1988, it was in the vanguard by being one of the first national museums dedicated to African American history. Today, NAAMCC houses over 8,000 artifacts, 600 linear feet of archived materials and remains a pioneer in preserving and presenting African American history and culture. Learn more about the 30-year history and cultural influence of the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center. A special mini-exhibit entitled Playing with Identity: Selections from the Lillian M. Bartok Black Doll Collection is a part of this exhibit.
All exhibits are included with paid museum admission: $6/adult, $5/senior, $3/ages 6–17, Free/Ohio History Connection & NAAMCC members. For more information, call NAAMCC at 800-752-2603 ext. 0 or visit www.ohiohistory.org/naamcc The National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center is located at 1350 Brush Row Road in Wilberforce, Ohio.
|
|
|
 NAAMCC is excited to announce that Shelbi T. Harris-Roseboro recently joined our staff. She will be serving as the Project Manager for the Ohio History Connection's upcoming historic museum Poindexter Village. The Ohio History Connection (OHC) and James Preston Poindexter Foundation (JPPF) have partnered to make the remaining two Poindexter Village buildings, a former public housing site in Columbus, an African American Museum a Cultural Learning Center.
Shelbi is a seasoned professional with more than a decade of experience as an entrepreneur, exhibiting artist, and community arts educator. Shelbi is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University. She received her Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and then earned her Master's in Public Administration from Valdosta State University.
Her entrepreneurial career started in 2010 when she began her own creative services business, Shel10, LLC. Born and raised in Columbus, she has proven her commitment to art that amplifies the community's voice. She is an active community arts advocate, formerly serving as the Community Programs Manager for Ohio Alliance for Arts Education before joining the NAAMCC staff.
Shelbi is also the Executive Director of All People Arts, a new art gallery that aims to make art accessible for all people on the South Side of Columbus. She formerly served as a Board Member of the James Preston Poindexter Foundation and Columbus's Neighborhood Design Center. Shelbi lives in the Columbus King-Lincoln neighborhood with her fiancé and son. Welcome, Shelbi, to the NAAMCC team!
|
|
|
 In addition to NAAMCC winning the 2021 AASLH Award of Excellence, Queens of the Heartland curator Hadley Drodge won the 2021 Emerging Professional of the Year Award from the Ohio Museum Association.
NAAMCC Assistant Curator Hadley Drodge has played an integral part in our institution's progress for the last four years. She has worked on 12 exhibits, including her first major exhibit, Queens of the Heartland. Hadley also co-curated our new Rhythm of Revolution exhibition with Curatorial Assistant Derek Pridemore.
She has mentored students as an alum of the Wright State University Public History program. Hadley is a valued content expert and connects NAAMCC to the community through our public programming and the media. Her accomplishments are preparing her for future leadership in the museum field. Congratulations, Hadley! |
|
|
NAAMCC announces COVID-19
collections moratorium
|
|
|
To facilitate the processing of our current backlog of donations that occurred while the museum is closed due to COVID-19, NAAMCC will not be accepting new loans or unsolicited archive or object donations until further notice. Please do not bring or mail donations of artifacts to the NAAMCC during this period. Museum staff will not accept any items offered, and all such offers will be declined. We will honor all existing loan agreements and any loans that have been approved before Sept. 15, 2020.
NAAMCC, like all museums, has a responsibility to maintain the highest possible standards of professional museum practices. A moratorium on collections acquisition and loans is the only option while our small collections management staff focuses exclusively on the significant and complex projects that have been delayed due to the pandemic. In very limited instances, NAAMCC may solicit material of substantial historical importance during the moratorium. However, these exceptions will be rare and need to be authorized by museum administration before any documents or artifacts can be left with museum staff.
We will review this temporary policy at the end of the second quarter of 2021 based on the status of the COVID-19 in Ohio. For more information, contact NAAMCC Collections Manager Linda Collins at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 800.752.2603 ext. 2124.
|
|
|
Become a NAAMCC supporter of our
$30 for 30 Fundraising Campaign
|
|
|
For over 30 years, the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center is the place to learn about African American history and culture! We serve Ohio by educating audiences about the great achievements of Black Ohioans and national figures throughout the year.
We are continuing to receive donations during the COVID-19 health crisis, so thank you to all of you who have supported us. We hope you will give $30 or more to the campaign and encourage your family and friends to join you in supporting our mission. Your donations will support our online educational programs, collections care, and facilities maintenance.
You can mail your $30 or more contribution to:
National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center
P.O. Box 578
Wilberforce, Ohio 45384-0578
Or you can make a credit/debit card donation online using this secure link. Thanks for your continuing support! |
|
|
|
