This museum explores the rich history and culture of African Americans in Chattanooga. It features exhibits on slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, and the contributions of African Americans to the city’s development.

The African American Museum in Chattanooga is actually part of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, which is a history and cultural institution dedicated to preserving and presenting the true story of African American history in Chattanooga.

Here’s what you can expect at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center and Chattanooga African American Museum:

  • Exhibits: The museum has a variety of exhibits that tell the story of African Americans in Chattanooga, from slavery to the Civil Rights Movement to the present day. The exhibits use a variety of media, including photographs, artifacts, and video presentations.
  • Art: The center also features art exhibits by African American artists.
  • Research Center: The museum has a research center that is open to the public. The center houses a collection of books, documents, and other materials related to African American history in Chattanooga.
  • Events: The Bessie Smith Cultural Center hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including lectures, workshops, and performances.

Here are some details about the Museum’s collection and exhibits:

  • Visitors will walk through time, starting with Native Americans and Slavery, to Chattanooga’s famous 9th street in the 60’s, to Civil Rights, all the way up to today’s current events.
  • The museum is newly renovated with new exhibits, video presentations, interactive technology, and more stories than ever before.

If you’re interested in learning more about African American history in Chattanooga, the Bessie Smith Cultural Center and Chattanooga African American Museum is a great place to visit.

Here’s some additional information for your visit:

  • Location: The Bessie Smith Cultural Center is located at 200 East M.L. King Boulevard in Chattanooga, Tennessee. [directions to Bessie Smith Cultural Center Chattanooga]
  • Hours: The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
  • Admission: Admission to the museum is free, although donations are appreciated.
  • Website: Bessie Smith Cultural Center website
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