PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — An effort to preserve Black history comes from Washtenaw County, where the African American Cultural and Historical Museum is serving the community one story at a time.
Inside a farmhouse in Pittsfield Township lies a wealth of stories patiently waiting to be discovered. The walls are lined with moments of the past brought to the present, pieces of history a group refused to let die with time.
Watch Christiana Ford's video report below:
The museum has origins rooted in inspiration and challenge. Lawrielle West, executive director of the African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County, explained how Margaret Burroughs, co-founder of the DuSable Museum in Chicago, challenged some of their founders to fill the void of African American history and culture in Washtenaw County.
"There are folks that came from all over to be here in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. There are folks that came from the South and went up to Canada, came back this way. There are folks that came from different coasts. So when we talk about the Great Migration, that is the story of how," West said.
"Yes, the South is highlighted — people came up from the south — but it's a circulation and movement of history, traditions and culture from all over in the U.S."
Their newest location for the museum to call home is on 3261 Lohr Road. It was formerly owned by the Byrd family and was known as the Byrd Center, named after Letita and David Byrd, a husband and wife who did significant work for the local community.
"David Byrd was a founding faculty member at Washtenaw Community College in the construction Technology program," West said. "He actually has brought his students here in the past to be able to learn and to actually build out some of the parts of our building here. And Letitia Byrd also was a founding member of our museum. We are living in her actualized dream and vision of having this center be the home for the African American Cultural Historical Museum of Washtenaw County."
West is the museum's first executive director, and only paid staff. The past decades of curating and preserving have been completely fueled by the work for dozens of dedicated volunteers and donors.
"Right now, we are in the Black and Bicentennial exhibit. So this covers 200 years of Black history in Washtenaw County," West said as she gave 7 News Detroit a brief tour.
In the exhibit, visitors can learn about the impact of business owners, athletes, leaders and churches. They can learn about visits from Frederick Douglass, and even the first Black Consultant of Poetry to the Library of Congress, Robert Hayden.
Another exhibit focuses on Woodlawn Cemetery, a historically Black cemetery. West said they are working to reignite the dignity of those buried there, connect to their lineage and descendants and preserve their stories.
In the museum's library, meetings and curated events continue holding space for African American history as the organization celebrates 35 years of uplifting African American art, history and culture.
The museum is open to the public for free each Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. in Pittsfield Township.
Their next event is Thursday, Feb. 5, Black Creatives Summit in Washtenaw County.
You can find out more information about visiting and future events at their their website.
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