The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey (AAHMSNJ) is celebrating 15 years of highlighting the accomplishments and impact of African Americans in South Jersey and around the country.
AAHMSNJ is a 501(c)3 non-profit with exhibit locations in Atlantic City and Newtonville, New Jersey. For more information about the exhibition, visit AAHMSNJ.org or call 609.350.6662.
The Vision and Mission
The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey (AAHMSNJ) sprang from the passion of its founder, Ralph E. Hunter, Sr. In 2002, Ralph Hunter, Sr. opened the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, with a mission in mind.
"To let folks know the contributions that African Americans have made in the past 500 years," says Hunter, who's both the founder and the president of the museum. Along with the mission, Hunter also had a vision for the museum.
"We're an incubator for young artists getting started," he says. Every few months, he says he rotates exhibitions, so visitors have an opportunity to see something different every time they come to the museum.
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“Folks used to come to my house and say, This place looks like a museum. And that’s where the idea came from. I had this quest for collecting just for me. Then, all of a sudden, something came over me and I thought, How dare you collect all of this just for yourself? - Ralph E.
The Collection
After retiring from a long career in retail, Ralph began collecting cultural treasures that he stumbled on while traveling or just by being an astute observer of his surroundings. That’s a fancy way of saying he found some of his “treasures” on the curb on trash day. Ralph’s apartment was affectionately referred to by his friends as “The Museum.”
In 2002, his museum became a reality when he was offered a space by the mayor of Buena Vista Township. This allowed him to show off his treasures, put to use his talent for display, and share stories about the meaning behind the artifacts he collected - the first of which was a copy of “Little Black Sambo” by Helen Bannerman. Hunter had painful memories of that book growing up and bought it to take it off the market.
That same book is now the centerpiece of a vast collection of paintings, ceramics and advertising and branding memorabilia that portrays African Americans in both a flattering and unflattering way. The museum boasts of a collection comprising 3,000 historical and cultural artifacts.
Most of the items that now make up the museum came from Hunter's personal collection."I spent the past 45 years gathering this great collection of African American memorabilia," he says.
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Hunter says he looks for certain items in his travels, specifically, "all things that kind of looked at Black people in a negative fashion." He says he did that intentionally so that he could "own the stereotypes.""We're so proud of this collection," says Hunter.
"We're using it to teach, to let folks know how African Americans were marginalized." And he's still collecting items. His permanent collection includes everything from paintings to carvings and statues, including a collection of Shona stones that were donated to the museum.
He says the museum has "everything you can think of imaginable." There is a large mask on display from Africa that Hunter says "actually has 100 masks carved inside of it." Hunter says he enjoys explaining art to visitors, because "great artists hide things in their work.""That's what good art is," he says.
Last, but not least, is the Room of Stereotypes. It’s a unique feature and probably my favorite exhibit. It displays how American media have portrayed African Americans. Items here include: a ball and chain used on slaves; slave-ship manifests; the origin of Aunt Jemima and the founder of Cream of Wheat.
Locations
The original museum is in Newtonville, New Jersey, housed inside of the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center. The second location of the museum opened ten years ago in Atlantic City.
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Atlantic City Museum Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Admission is FREE.
Exhibits
Currently, there are works on display from an artist from Sierra Leone."These young boys are walking, embracing," he says. "An amazing piece." There is also an exhibition called Jersey Girls, with works on display from ten female artists.
"They happen to all be African American and people of color," he says. "They want to have the opportunity to showcase at a museum that has a great following." Among the artists, Kandice Fields, who's been showing her work at the museum for two decades.
Past and Current Exhibits
- Miss Black America: The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey (AAHMSNJ) will host new exhibit entitled “Miss Black America” in Atlantic City, the place the pageant was first held in 1968. The exhibit will feature repurposed artwork by late Philadelphia artist Robert R. Jackson. The mixed media collection will be on display from August 1 to September 29, 2024 at the Noyes Art Garage of Stockton University (2200 Fairmount Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401). AAHMSJ Founder and president Ralph Hunter always envisioned upcycling Jackson’s pieces devoted to Miss Black America into a showcase for the groundbreaking pageant that got its start in Atlantic City in 1968. The new exhibit was curated by Bryant Nguyen and Shreyan Chowdhury.
- The Art of the Quilt: Fiber & Clay: will present Gloria Gammage Davis' exhibit entitled "The Art of the Quilt: Fiber & Clay. Her quilted art pieces will be on display from February 1 to March 30, 2024 in the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey located at the Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University in Atlantic City. Davis puts the focus on African American history and culture in her fine art quilt creations. She uses written and embroidered text, block prints, and colorful African textiles to refine the messages of race and heritage in her artwork.
- Back from Africa: (AAHMSNJ) received a donation of art prints and Shona Stone figures that will be featured in the newest exhibit “Back from Africa.” The generous gift came from benefactors Faye and Joseph Young of Spring City, Pennsylvania. The donated sculptures are examples of the cultural art of Zimbabwe and surrounding regions and will be on display from February 1st to June 30th. The show also features colorful paintings and prints, decorated ceremonial masks, intricately carved and inlaid objects from the collections of Stanley Robinson, Elwood G. Davis, and the estate of Fred Bacon, and African jewelry donated by Bettie J.
- Stealing Home: How Jackie Robinson Changed America: Jackie Robinson’s rise from poverty to the highest ranks of the sports world is explored in the current exhibit Stealing Home: How Jackie Robinson Changed America. The Museum’s collection includes Robinson’s glove and bat, and his Negro League and Brooklyn Dodgers uniforms among the artifacts on display.
- Women’s History Month Exhibition: will celebrate Women’s History Month with an exhibition showcasing the work of five South Jersey artists. The work of Hazel Levy, Edythe Greene, Tamu King, Soundra Usry-Hollingsworth and Najee Watson will be on view from March 1 to 31 at the AAHMSNJ at The Arts Garage in Atlantic City. As Ralph Hunter, President and founder of the AAHMSNJ, explains, “The exhibition’s common thread is that the artists were compelled to indulge their creative passion.
- Black Cowboys & Buffalo Soldiers: "Black Cowboys & Buffalo Soldiers," on display from February 1 to April 30 at the AAHMSNJ in Atlantic City, tells the story of the black cowboys and soldiers who have been absent from most historic accounts of the West. It focuses on the vital role that these African Americans played in America’s westward expansion and the success of the cattle industry.
- Jet, Black, Brown and Tan: The Legacy of John H. Johnson: John H. Johnson rose from humble beginnings to become an influential social and political personality. His publishing empire provided opportunities for a generation of black professionals and workers at every level, yet it remained a family centered business.
- A Time For Change: Civil Rights In South Jersey: Explore South Jersey’s role in the Civil Rights Movement, from local desegregation and anti-discrimination movements, to iconic national events such as the 1964 Democratic National Convention protests in Atlantic City. A Time for Change: Civil Rights in South Jersey highlights these events and more.
The Impact
The African American Heritage Museum in South Jersey is a place that will always remain a part of you; ardor brimming at the surface. I truly walked away from this museum with a better understanding of America as a whole, how far we have come as a nation, and how much further we still need to go.
White makes the tour informative, yet convivial. After Milton told me this incredible tale, we walked along a hallway lined with stamps illustrating African-American pioneers.
Here's a summary of the museum's key milestones:
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2002 | Ralph Hunter, Sr. opens the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey in Newtonville. |
| 2014 | The second location of the museum opened ten years ago in Atlantic City. |
| Various | The museum hosts various exhibits, showcasing different aspects of African American history and culture. |
