Amistad Research Center [LA]

Description

The Amistad Research Center is the largest independent archives within the U.S., focusing on African American history, as well as the histories of other ethnic groups. Collections include 250,000 photographs from 1859 onward, manuscripts, and 800 African and African American artworks.

The center offers archive access, 45-minute guided tours, and art exhibits. Reservations are required for all groups, and must be made at least two weeks in advance. The website offers digital collection access.

Alex Haley House and Museum [TN]

Description

Originally known as the Palmer House, this 10-room, turn-of-the-century bungalow home was built in 1919 by Will E. Palmer, the maternal grandfather of Alex Haley (1921–1992). From 1921 to 1929, and during some subsequent summers, Haley lived here with his grandparents. The front porch was often the place where young Haley heard the oral accounts of family history, including stories of Kunta Kinte, the young Mandingo man captured near his West African home. These stories inspired Haley to write about his ancestry in a book called Roots. This 1976 Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel has been translated into over 30 languages and has had great influence in stimulating the study of genealogy. Roots was adapted for an eight-part television series, which became one of the most popular programs in television history. On December 14, 1978, the Alex Haley House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It has attracted scholars and other visitors from around the world. Haley is buried on the grounds.

The house offers exhibits and tours.

New-York Historical Society and Museum [NY]

Description

The New-York Historical Society presents American and U.S. history through artifacts and documents relevant to the history of New York City and state. Permanent exhibits include slavery in New York and visible open storage. Collection highlights include George Washington's inaugural chair, Benjamin Franklin's cane, watercolors by John James Audubon, Hudson River School landscapes, Tiffany lamps, and Abraham Lincoln's life mask.

The society offers exhibits, guided tours, customizable group tours, school visits, guided student workshops, outreach programs for students, interactive stations, audio tours, teen audio tours, written gallery guides, research library access, educator professional development opportunities, and a cafe. An appointment is required to access prints, photographs, or architectural records. No appointment is necessary to access manuscripts and general collections. Wheelchairs are available for use on site. American Sign Language interpreters are available for tours with at least three weeks advance notice. The website offers digital collections access.

Kentucky Derby Museum [KY]

Description

The Kentucky Derby Museums presents the significance and history of Thoroughbred racing; Churchill Downs; and the Kentucky Derby, a world-renowned annual horse race. The grounds include the graves of several favorite Derby horses—Carry Back, Swaps, Brokers Tip, and Sunny's Halo. Permanent exhibits address Kentucky Derby hats; races from 1918 to present day; the jockey stance; winning horses, owners, and trainers; jockey and stable life; handicapping; and African Americans in Thoroughbred racing.

The museum offers interactive and traditional exhibits, films, trivia tests, guided walking tours of Churchill Downs, barn and backside van tours, behind the scenes tours, legends and lore tours, student tours, curriculum-based programs, curriculum-based outreach programs, hands-on activities, scavenger hunts, summer camps, and a cafe. Social studies program topics range from economics to urbanization. The website offers a suggested reading list for students and relevant vocabulary.

Stately Oaks Plantation [GA]

Description

The Stately Oaks Plantation bills itself as the inspiration for Margaret Mitchell's classic Gone with the Wind and it’s easy to see why. This 19th century Southern plantation home is complete with costumed interpreters, a country store, and Civil War artifacts.

Guided or MP3 tours are available for groups as well as educational tours especially for students. Educational program topics include Native Americans and the Civil War.

Tudor Place Historic House and Garden [DC]

Description

The 1816 neoclassical Tudor Place was built for Martha Custis Parker, Martha Washington's granddaughter, and her husband Thomas Peter. The site presents the governmental, business, and societal aspects of the Peters' lives, as well as the lives of their servants—both enslaved Africans and the English and Irish. Another interpretive focus is the development of Washington, DC, beginning in the 18th century. Collection highlights include 19th-century silver, porcelain, and more than 100 artifacts originally owned by George and Martha Washington. The five and a half acres of gardens largely retain their Federal era design.

The site offers period rooms, gardens, educational programs for students, a summer camp, guided house tours, and self-guided garden tours. Reservations are required for groups of 10 or more. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to notify the staff of their visit in advance.

African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa

Description

The African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa presents African American life—both modern and historical—within the state of Iowa. Collections consist of more than 1,600 artifacts.

The museum offers exhibits; guided tours; self-guided tours; adult, preschool, elementary, middle school, and high school workshops; summer camps; an interactive living history program for students; Scout programs; outreach programs; traveling trunks; distance learning classes; non-circulating research library access; traveling exhibits; and an oral history project in which children are trained to conduct interviews. Guided tours must consist of 15 or more visitors. Two weeks advance notice is required to schedule guided tours. Please call ahead to ensure space if you plan on taking a self-guided tour. The website offers an educator's guide, a website scavenger hunt, and virtual exhibits.

Colonial Williamsburg [VA]

Description

Colonial Williamsburg is the world's single largest living history museum. It consists of the reconstructed 18th-century British outpost of Williamsburg, VA. Through costumed interpreters and structures furnished to period, the museum shares the story of America and its people—Native American, African American, Caucasian, enslaved, indentured, and free—circa 1699 through 1780. The historic area includes political and residential sites, trade skill settings, a plantation, gardens, and animal breeds of circa 200 years ago. Museums on site include the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum.

The site offers exhibits, period rooms, living history interpreters, demonstrations, walking tours, dramatic performances, military exercises, fife and drum parades, ghost walks, mock witch trials, films, lectures, music programs, reenactments, a teacher institute in early American history, children's activities, curriculum-based tours for students, museum tours, conferences, forums, workshops, concession stands, and several dining locations with period-inspired food. The website offers audio tours, a virtual tour, virtual exhibits, information on historical structures and people, information on aspects of daily life, recipes, electronic field trips, lesson plans, teaching resources for purchase, slide shows, videos, audio clips, a daily vocabulary feature, podcasts, blogs, activities and games, and journal excerpts

Peerless Rockville [MD]

Description

Peerless Rockville seeks to preserve and share the history of Rockville, MD.

The organization offers lectures, guided walking tours, customizable guided walking tours, self-guided walking tours, research library access, and research assistance. Guided tour topics include a historical overview of Rockville, the Civil War, 19th-century landmarks, a family scavenger hunt, African American history, the Underground Railroad, public architecture, F. Scott Fitzgerald, downtown, the Rockville cemetery, the 1891 courthouse, and early settlement. Appointments are recommended for research library use.