DuSable Museum of African American History

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The DuSable Museum of African American History is the first and oldest museum dedicated to the study and conservation of African American history, culture, and art. It was founded in 1961 by Dr. Margaret Taylor-Burroughs, her husband Charles Burroughs, Gerard Lew, and others. It is located at 740 E. 56th Place at the corner of Cottage Grove Avenue in Washington Park. Dr. Burroughs and other founders established the museum to celebrate black culture, then overlooked by most museums and academic establishments.

History

The DuSable's origins as the Ebony Museum of Negro History and Art began in 1961 following the work of Margaret and Charles Burroughs to correct the perceived omission of black history and culture in the education establishment. In 1968, the museum was renamed for Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, a Haitian fur trader and the first non-Native-American permanent settler in Chicago. In 1971, the Chicago Park District gave the use of a park administration building in Washington Park as the site for the museum. In 1993, the museum expanded with the addition of a new wing named in honor of the late Mayor Harold Washington, the first African-American mayor of Chicago.

The DuSable Museum is the oldest and largest caretaker of black American culture in the United States and over its long history, it has expanded as necessary to reflect the increased interest in black culture. This willingness to adapt has allowed it to survive while other museums faltered due to a weakening economy and decreased public support.

Galleries

The museum is laid out on three levels. The entry level contains an exhibition on the different regions of Africa and displays African artwork and clothing. Also on this level are mosaics of Chicago African-American history, a bust of Du Sable and model of his trading post, a small auditorium and gift shop.

The upper level is focused on the Civil Rights Movement, beginning with Plessy v. Ferguson and centered on activities of the movement in Chicago. This level also contains a replica of Harold Washington's office on the fifth floor of City Hall with artifacts of his tenure as mayor.

The lower level hosts a permanent exhibit of art created by African-Americans; an area for traveling or temporary exhibits; and a 500-seat theater, used for plays, lectures, and concerts.

See also

• List of museums focused on African Americans
• Harry Lew Lew Family - brother of Gerard Lew
• Barzillai Lew Lew Family
• Thomas Dalton and Lucy Lew Lew Family

References

External links

• The DuSable Museum

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Last updated on Saturday April 19, 2008 at 21:52:19 PDT (GMT -0700)
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