Celebrating Black History Month: Must-Visit Black History and African American History Museums in the US Midwest

Here at Classic we love to help find our patrons fascinating and fun places to visit, especially with a heavy emphasis on history and art museums! For today’s blog, we’re sharing some wonderful destinations that are the perfect blend of education and entertainment. Explore the culture, history, artwork, and incredible contributions of inventors, engineers, and pioneers at these Midwest Black History Museums.

DuSable Black History Museum in Chicago is the first non-profit museum dedicated to the collections, documentation, preservation and study of Africans and African American history and culture. More than 100,000 visitors grace its halls annually, exploring a multitude of both permanent and rotating collections.  Current exhibitions include “The Many Colors of Us” dedicated to children’s exploration and understanding of racial and ethnic diversity through play; “The Art of Our Storytellers” featuring selections from the Johnson Publishing Company; “Equiano.Stories” a feature film project by the museum along with Stelo Stories Studio; “Freedom: Origin and Journey” highlighting key periods throughout history in the African American experience; “The Harold Washington Story” about the first African American Mayor of Chicago in 1983; “Troubled Waters: Chicago 1919 Race Riots” and the aftermath of the violence; “Fighting Racism in the Trenches” featuring the story of Kathryn Magnolia Johnson; “Clearing a Path for Democracy” featuring an exhibit about the citizen soldiers of the Illinois Fighting 8th.

The Haitian American Museum of Chicago is dedicated to highlighting the rich culture and history of Haiti and how Haitian Americans contributed to the overall multicultural communities of Chicago.  The Museum’s current exhibit is “A.S.E. (Art Supreme Expression)” is a collaborative effort to highlight life and art in Haiti through freedom of creative expression. Past exhibits have included community art walks, “Children of Haiti” exhibit by Timoun Ayiti, and more. The museum also has an extensive catalogue of audio projects narrating Haitian history, art, and culture as well as an extensive library of books.

Bronzeville Children’s Museum in Chicago is the world’s first and currently only children’s museum dedicated to African American history, and perfect for children aged 3 through 9.  The exhibits and activities at the museum are designed to engage children in appropriate exploration of culture, history, and social relationships through play.  Kids will have a chance to explore history and artwork and key points in African American history through hands-on play and workshops such as Journey to STEAM, Tour of  Bronzeville Landmarks, You Are What You Eat, and African American Inventors Changing Lives, and many more!

Freetown Village in Indianapolis is a fully immersive and interactive experience representing historic African American settlements across Indiana in the post-Civil War era.  Visitors can interact with the cast and crew and learn about the experience of Black Americans in the 1870s, the era when former slaves gained their freedom and independence.  Visitors will be able to explore historic artifacts and reproductions, art and documentary exhibits, and an extensive collection of preserved artifacts from the era.

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati opened its doors in 2004 and has been paying tribute to the triumphs, heartbreaks, and heroes involved in the Underground Railroad movement. Visitors will be able to explore the history through an immersive and socially conscious exhibit following the journey of slaves from the South and across the Ohio River to the North.  Permanent exhibits include “Brothers of the Borderland” an immersive media experience showcasing John Parker and Rev. John Rankin’s work in helping others flee slavery; “Invisible: Slavery Today” chronicling the tragic reality of modern trafficking and slavery; “From Slavery to Freedom” which documents 3 centuries of slavery from the early Americas through to the Civil War era; and many more.

National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center in Wilberforce hosts exhibits and special programming educating visitors about both Ohio and the nation’s African American art, culture, social movements, and history. The facility showcases one of the country’s largest collections of African American artifacts and artwork.  You can check out exhibits such as “African Americans Fighting for Double Victory” chronicling the role of Black Americans in WWII or “Rhythm of Revolution: The Transformative Power of Black Art 1619 to Present” featuring art and works from 5 centuries of Black artists, and more!

America’s Black Holocaust Museum in Milwaukee is simultaneously a memorial and historical documentary museum, featuring numerous galleries and exhibitions commemorating the Black Holocaust from pre-captivity in Africa to the present day.  The museum originally had a brick and mortar location from 1988 through 2008 opened by Dr. James Cameron, but was reestablished through a community  grassroots effort and reopened again in February of 2022. The Museum also existed in a virtual capacity from 2012 and still operates today, where you can view exhibits online through breaking news blogs, special lectures and articles, and online documentary exhibit collections.

Other notable venues to explore include:

• African American Museum of Southern Illinois in Carbondale
• Black Archives Museum 
• Brown V Board of Education National Historic Park in Topeka
• Motown Museum in Detroit
• Charles H Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit
• Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City
• American Jazz Museum in Kansas City
• Evansville African American Museum in Evansville

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