Honoring, recognizing, and congratulating the African American Museum in Philadelphia, in celebration of the Museum's 40th Anniversary.

WHEREAS, The African American Museum in Philadelphia was originally founded in 1976, in anticipation of the United States Bicentennial celebration. The Museum was the first institution founded by a major city with the mission of memorializing the heritage and history of the African American community; and

WHEREAS, In the 40 years since its founding, the African American Museum in Philadelphia has evolved into a nationally recognized institution for African American history and culture, fulfilling its mission of presenting “the achievements and aspirations of African Americans from pre-colonial times to the current day;” and

WHEREAS, The Museum’s collection, numbering more than 750,000 objects, images and documents, is anchored in three dominant themes related to the African American experience: the African Diaspora, the Contemporary Narrative, and the Philadelphia Story; and

WHEREAS, The African American Museum’s collection proudly highlights the central role that the City of Philadelphia has played in the African American experience, a history which dates back to the nation’s independence to the colonial era. The Museum’s permanent exhibit

Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia 1776-1876

tells the remarkable stories of pioneering figures in the fight for equality such as Octavius Catto, Richard Allen, and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper; and

WHEREAS, The African American Museum in Philadelphia is the current owner and custodian of the Smithsonian’s remarkable traveling exhibit,

381 Days: The Montgomery Bus Boycott

, which documents that pivotal event and its role in the broader movement for African American civil rights; and

WHEREAS, The African American Museum’s mission of engaging diverse communities with the art, history, and culture of the African American community has been crucial for increasing visitors’ understanding of the Black experience in America. In addition to their traditional museum exhibits, the Museum also hosts lectures and panel discussions on numerous issues related to African American history and culture; and

WHEREAS, The African American Museum in Philadelphia is an embodiment of the vibrant multi-cultural society that is one of the City of Philadelphia’s greatest strength; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Council hereby honors, recognizes, and congratulates the African American Museum in Philadelphia on the event of its 40th Anniversary.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the African American Museum in Philadelphia as further evidence of the sincere admiration and gratitude of this legislative body.

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