Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum "Cotton Comes to Harlem" Part 2

Shonna McDaniels, a visual artist, and community activist, envisioned an institution to preserve Black history and celebrate the accomplishments of African American people and their legacy. As a result, the previous name of Sojourner Truth Multicultural Art Museum changed to Sojourner Truth African American Museum. We offer resources to document, preserve and educate the public on the history, life, and culture of African Americans.

Our mission is to open minds and change lives through the exploration and celebration of African American history, experiences and culture through art education and outreach. 

The goal of this project is to create public art with images youth can identify with. Also, we hope to educate youth about the important role and legacy artist from the Harlem Renaissance played in shaping history and the vibrant communities they lived in.  Artist working with the museum will provide a series of work-study sessions incorporating film documentaries from the artist of the Harlem Renaissance time period to youth at the Mack Road Valley High Community center.  Youth who attend this center will learn about Jazz artist, visual artist, Poets, and Writers who impacted their community through the arts.  August 31st we will kick off a community celebration called “Cotton Comes to Harlem” and invite the entire community to come and paint with muralist to create murals inspired by artist of that time period.

Investigation- Tactical Urbanism, Public Participatory art projects allows the public to collaborate. To inspire improvement, to infrastructure but also show how temporary installations skillfully connect public art projects with how public space plans are developed and implemented.