{"id":182204,"date":"2025-08-28T10:41:19","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T10:41:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/182204\/"},"modified":"2025-08-28T10:41:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T10:41:19","slug":"dallas-african-american-museum-gets-3m-to-preserve-and-digitize-its-50%e2%80%91year-collection-dallas-innovates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/182204\/","title":{"rendered":"Dallas’ African American Museum Gets $3M to Preserve and Digitize Its\u00a050\u2011Year Collection \u00bb Dallas Innovates"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

African American Museum, Dallas [Photo: Fair Park Dallas]<\/p>\n

Major funding support from the State of Texas and Google has been awarded to preserve and digitize the extensive collection of The African American Museum, Dallas.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Located within Fair Park, the museum said the Texas Historical Commission has awarded it a $3 million grant, alongside support from Google, to launch a long-term commitment to safeguard the material collected by the museum over its 50-year history.<\/p>\n

Making history accessible worldwide<\/p>\n

\u201cThis investment is about more than just conservation,\u201d Margie Johnson Reese, chief program officer of the museum, said in a statement. \u201cIt\u2019s about making history accessible to a global audience. We are thrilled to work with the Texas Historical Commission and Google to preserve the works of art and the historical documents in our care. It is our responsibility to ensure that this irreplaceable material will endure to educate and inspire current and future generations.\u201d<\/p>\n

The museum said the funds will help enhance the accessibility of its collections and strengthen the museum\u2019s role as a key resource for education and research for the Dallas community and beyond. The collection\u2014spanning fine art, folk art, decorative arts, archival materials, and artifact\u2014features work by renowned artists such as Romare Bearden, Clementine Hunter, Mose Tolliver, Rev. Johnnie Swearingen, among others, and archeological materials from The Freedman\u2019s Cemetery.<\/p>\n

The museum said that portions of the collection are currently stored in non-climate-controlled facilities, leaving them vulnerable to environmental damage. The funds will ensure the collection\u2019s long-term survival while making it more widely available to the public, the museum said.<\/p>\n

Google\u2019s support for the project<\/p>\n

\u201cGoogle is committed to making a positive impact in the communities where we operate, and we welcome opportunities to support the sharing of powerful stories,\u201d Traci Thomason, global community development strategy manager at Google, said in a statement. \u201cBy working with the African American Museum, Dallas, we\u2019re proud to be part of the effort to ensure that this rich cultural history remains available to inspire and educate people around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

The museum\u2019s collection spotlights significant historical documents, including early Dallas-based African American newspapers and rare photographs and papers from influential leaders such as Juanita Craft, Mamie McKnight, and the late U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson.<\/p>\n

Among the highlights are 40,000-plus images from Sepia magazine, a nationally recognized photojournalistic publication that chronicled African American life and culture for decades, the museum said. The collection features images of government leaders such as Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and U.N. Ambassador and Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young; civil rights icons Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X; and legendary entertainers including Aretha Franklin, Cicely Tyson and Ray Charles.<\/p>\n

The African American Museum, Dallas, was founded in 1974 as a part of Bishop College and has operated independently since 1979.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss what\u2019s next. Subscribe\u00a0to\u00a0Dallas\u00a0Innovates.<\/p>\n

Track Dallas-Fort Worth\u2019s business and innovation landscape with our curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\tR E A D\u00a0\u00a0 N E X T\t<\/p>\n