Happy New Year Everyone!

We hope you had a safe and happy holiday season.

And now we’re off and running! New Year’s resolutions, anyone? Best of Luck this year!

Moving forward, we have wonderful things planned. We will move forward in 2024!

Thank you to those who have given time and funds and made efforts to help us support our mission of preserving Arizona's history.

Below pictured with Tracy Lopes, Governors Deputy Chief of Staff for Outreach and Engagement for DEIA. Local staff from the Governors Office are Marisol Flores-Aguirre and Kent Burbank.

A few things we are working on include:

• Website Development/Redesign: Crafting a visually appealing and functional website that captivates you and one that aligns with our brand's vision and goals.
• SEO (search engine optimization): We are working to improve our online visibility.
• Social Media Marketing: We hope to engage our audiences across various platforms.

The museum has made incredible progress and achieved numerous milestones in

2023 - although Ruby Bridges was in November of 2022 - but this never happens alone! Here's a summary of the accomplishments that were made with your support and help! Thank you, Southern Arizonans and the museum community!

• Opening Day Success: The museum exceeded expectations by hosting 362 people on opening day, surpassing the anticipated 75 to 80 visitors.
• School Tours: Instead of the targeted 5 schools, the museum hosted tours for 11 schools, expanding educational outreach.
• Membership Growth: The museum exceeded its goal of reaching 150 members. Before the membership drive, we had 259, and we currently have 375 after adding 116 new members in November. Thank you... We did it! Our goal was 75 New Members!
• Events and Fundraisers: Surpassing the target of 1 major event/fundraiser, the museum successfully organized 3 significant events: Ruby Bridges, Stacey Snowden Chat for her father, Coach Fred Snowden, and the museum's 1st Gala. Thank you to our LFI's and also, UA Foundation, Pima County, Daisy & Fred Jenkins, Taunya Villicana, Our Board, The Hishaw Family, ABC, The Juneteenth Festival, Inc. and so many others for supporting our Community!
• Grant Achievements: Initially expecting 3 grants due to being a new entity, the museum secured a total of 6 grants, including renewal opportunities from AALF/SACF, PNC Foundation, and Pima County, along with support from the SW Foundation, One AZ Foundation, and a Marshall Grant.

• Collaborations and Outreach: Collaborations extended to various institutions, schools, churches, synagogues, senior groups, and other museums, fostering diversity and engagement within the community.
• University Engagement: Surpassing the goal of 3 UA Colleges or Departments visiting, the museum, we hosted tours for 6 UA Colleges and Departments.
• Media Recognition: The museum received representation in Phoenix through television and newspapers, increasing its visibility. We were also featured in 6 other publications in California, and throughout the state.
• Digital Integration: Implementing technological advancements such as a Temi Robot tour guide, website improvements, digitization of historical materials, and upgrades in the museum.

• Oral Histories and Social Justice: We captured and presented 5 new oral histories, highlighting heartwarming stories and significant moments. We were present for the Executive Order with Governor Katie Hobbs and have supported other social justice issues, including the Anti-Lynching Act. We will continue to work toward historical issues such as voting rights and maternal health. We are moving forward with our Campaign for a bench in honor of SPJ Ketanji Brown-Jackson! Please give to help us bring this to fruition.
• Networking and Community Support: We have gained a tremendous amount of support from the GSAAC (Buffalo Soldier Chapter), Camp Naco, Tucson Unified School District, and their African American Students Services Department, Dr. Michael Engs and Mrs. Gloria Smith (both local historians) and others.
• First Hire: The museum reached a milestone by making its first hire, Jenny Li. She is a talented and detailed individual with an understanding of historical protocols. We were lucky to have a few impactful interns and hope to hire an Executive Director next year!
• By-Laws Update: Currently we are in the process of updating the Const. & By-Laws and proposing recommendations to the board.
• Recruitment and Retention: Actively collaborating with the UA to revive dormant oral histories and facilitate donations that align with the museum's goals. Also, efforts have been made to recruit and retain African American students with the support of various community leaders and academic professionals.

The list above are examples of the significant and true need for the museum, along with growth and impactful contributions to education, culture, and community engagement.

For more information, review our 2023 Annual Report at

https://www.aamsaz.org/annual-report/

Thank You Again!

We have been fortunate to be able to work with outstanding volunteers like Jamie Clark, Rose Taulton, and Mingde Li! We have been blessed with hard-working interns who received credit, like Emma Marquez Peterson, Michael Frees, and Jenny Li.

• Our board has worked very hard to support us and never asked us for a thing! We listen, and they have guided us in the right direction! Thank you! 
• Our advisory board has stepped up to the plate by setting up interviews, helping us write grants, providing us with contacts to assist us with programs, supporting our school connections, and, of course, like our board, donating as they support the mission and vision! Thank you!

In Community,

Beverely Elliott, Executive Director

African American Museum of Southern Arizona (AAMSAZ)

“We are a movement, not just a museum.”

We will be:

Celebrating our 1 Year Anniversary, so please join us for a short

Open House from 2 - 4 Sunday, January 14, 2024!

• MLK Day 1/15/24 - We will be open following the MLK Celebration from 2 – 4 PM
• The MLK national theme: 'Shifting the Cultural Climate through the Study and Practice of Kingian Nonviolence'

Some ways to celebrate MLK Day: https://nationaltoday.com/martin-luther-king-day/

• Attend commemorative events: Join the MLK celebration—see the flyer below for more information!
• Engage in Community Service: Participate in volunteer activities or service projects.
• Educational Activities: Learn more about the civil rights movement or visit AAMSAZ (hours are listed above).
• Reflect on Social Justice: Take time to reflect on the fight for civil rights and consider how you can contribute to a more just society.
• Spread Awareness: Share Dr. King’s messages of equality, love, and nonviolence on social media to inspire others.

This Broadway musical lived up to every award it has received as it chronicled the journey of The Iconic Temptations from Detroit! I can see why the “Temps” were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. We sang and danced as we were captivated by this troop's routines and smooth harmonies. A couple sat in front of us, and I explained that I grew up hearing these songs and would probably sing along. They were so nice and truly impressed to hear that the Temps had 42 Top Ten Hits, with 14 of them reaching the #1 spot on the charts. What was really special is that Jalen Harris (Eddie Kendricks), Michael Andreaus (Otis Williams), and Harrell Holmes (Melvin Franklin) picked us out of the audience—they visited the museum—and pointed at us… gave us nods and hearts, and blew us kisses as they took their bows. We truly felt special and blessed as people were asking us, How do you know them? Thank you, AAMSAZ and Moriah, for this opportunity!

Giving Back!

AAMSAZ is actively engaged in community outreach and collaboration with various organizations. Our efforts have involved networking, evaluating opportunities, and providing support beyond just the museum's scope. Beverely and Jenny are actively reaching out to groups that could benefit both parties involved.

• Not everything fits within the museum's scope, but Beverely recognizes the value of certain resources for other organizations. She provides referrals to appropriate entities, ensuring that items or opportunities find the right home.

Overall, we work hard to have the museum's approach holistic and community-centered, aiming to maximize the impact and benefits of the museum's resources while also fostering relationships and collaborations for the greater good of the community.

We appreciate you all so much. We are adding and updating our website. We listen, and we want you to know that we have taken some of your suggestions to heart. We appreciate the positive feedback (as well as the negative, but that’s always harder to read or hear), and we are placing some of your comments on the website.

Here at AAMSAZ, we have been busy as we digitized artifacts, books, and images. We have several items donated to the museum from President Barack Obama's Inauguration, Life Magazine with WEB Dubois and Ebony Magazines with Martin Luther King, Jr. on the cover, and a 1940s lunch pail with knife and fork set. All are provided by local Tucsonans. 

Stories are the pulse of our lives - speaking of Storytelling – We were delighted to spend time recording Mrs. Barbara Lewis at the Dunbar Pavilion. You will have to go to Dunbar to get the FULL feeling of their rich history. 

We are in the process of adding more exhibitions, including a video featuring Charlotte Ham about her mother and local milliner Toni Ham and her beautiful designs! 

Students Will Get: FREE A Swim Bag, A pair of Flip flops, Goggles, A Swim Towel, and Free Lessons! Historically.... Children of Color were not allowed to swim due to racial prejudice. Let's work on changing that! Lessons take place at The University of Arizona's Student Recreation Center Pool on 6th Street. Certified swim instructors will instruct the children. 

For information or to register, scan the QR code!

The Tucson Chapter of The Links, Incorporated

Congratulations on the Grand Re-Opening of Fort Lowell Museum!

A Museum of the Tucson Presidio Trust

Photos by Mingde Li (AAMSAZ)

The Fort Lowell Museum is located within Fort Lowell Park. Fort Lowell was a military supply post active from 1873 to 1891. The Museum interprets the purpose and history of the fort and the daily lives of soldiers and their families. It also presents the story of the local Apache of the region and the challenges they endured during the Apache wars. Additionally, the pre-history of the area is covered, including information on the nearby Hohokam site. 

On December 2nd, they had the grand reopening event. The ceremony and open house were from 10 am - to 2 pm; activities included Old Arizona Brass Band: Re-creators of the 4th Cavalry Regimental Band of Fort Lowel; Tour of Officer's Quarters; and demonstrations for Medical Historians at Hospital Ruins.

Ft. Lowell Museum is improving their area perpetually. During the past few years, they finished the tennis courts and remodeled the parking lot. We hope that you will visit the Fort Lowell Museum.

On behalf of AAMSAZ, we value their development and contribution to society and congratulate Ft. Lowell Museum on its great achievement.

Fort Lowell Museum

2900 N. Craycroft Rd

Tucson, AZ 85712

Author and One of Arizona’s Historical Experts

Prior to the 1960s, the term “Buffalo Soldier” was a fairly obscure one. Then, a trickle of titles became a torrent of books, articles, novels, monuments, and expanding numbers of historic sites along with museums all of which have changed the picture. Even an occasional nod from television and movies helped transform these once relatively little-known Black U.S. Army troops into familiar figures, who have taken their place in a mythic past. Indeed, powerful imagemakers from William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and his Congress of Rough Riders to Frederic Remington, the dean of frontier artists, helped lionize the Black troops whose exploits brought them to the American West, Cuba, the Philippines, Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii in the years between 1866 and 1916.

National Day of Racial Healing

The National Day of Racial Healing is a time to contemplate our shared values and create the blueprint together for #HowWeHeal from the effects of racism.

Muryelle Bothwell and Victor Bowleg, Racial Justice Center Manager for the YWCA of Southern Arizona (as well as AAMSAZ) want to bring awareness to

The National Day of Racial Healing (NDRH)

There is a growing movement across the United States to emphasize the teaching of Black history in response to a perceived crackdown on inclusive lesson plans. This movement involves educators, lawmakers, civil rights activists, and leaders who are advocating for a more comprehensive and accurate representation of African American history in education. 

• The urgency to teach Black History has intensified due to recent legislative actions in several states, such as Florida, Texas, and Oklahoma, which are seen as limiting or omitting important aspects of African American history and restricting discussions on race, sexuality, and gender in public schools. Additionally, these states have faced criticism for banning books, particularly those by African American and Jewish authors, that focus on race and related issues.

Invisible Theater: The Shirley Chisholm Story

Shirley Chisholm in 1972

Photo by Thomas J. O'Halloran, U.S. News & World Reports.

Actress Ingrid Griffith, hailing from New York, portrays Shirley Chisholm in this production, having dedicated five years to researching Chisholm's life and accomplishments. Through this portrayal, the audience gains insight into Chisholm's passion for politics, her activism, and her unwavering belief in women and truth. Chisholm faced considerable prejudice and ostracization, even within the African American community. Despite these challenges, her determination and resilience propelled her forward, carving a difficult yet essential path for herself and other African Americans and in particular women.

This award-winning production provides a historic lesson and offers a glimpse into the life of a remarkable individual who defied odds and fought for her beliefs. It sheds light on the struggles, triumphs, and legacy of Shirley Chisholm, a figure of immense significance in American political history.

Invisible Theater

January 21^st and January 22^nd

1400 N. First Avenue

Tucson, AZ 

For tickets, go to:

https://www.invisibletheatre.com/Season_Tickets/season_tickets.html

Our Legacy Founder Investors

Thank you to our

Legacy Founder Investors

COX, TEP,

Elliott Family Charity, and Zuckerman Family Foundation

For your unwavering support! 

A Bench on the U of Arizona Campus for

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

The Women's Plaza of Honor is a truly peaceful place. If you have not visited, stop by or visit online at Women's Plaza of Honor and African American Women’s Arch. 

Did you know that there will be a bench that will be on the plaza that honors former

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg?

Women and Gender Studies (U of A's WGS), in collaboration with AAMSAZ, are working toward securing a bench to be placed on the Women’s Plaza of Honor in tribute to 

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson!

We could use your help!

Make a Gift!

• She is the first African American woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. Please help us raise the $15,000 for the bench in her honor.
• Any amount helps, and you can also purchase a sponsorship for an engraved tile with your organization's or family's name or a simple design.
• Please go to our website and be sure to note that your donation is for the Ketanji Brown Jackson Bench. Thank you!

Our Website:

AAMSAZ.org

Join our team of volunteers!

Join the effort to preserve African American history and culture in Southern Arizona. AAMSAZ welcomes volunteers. Background checks will be conducted. We are committed to finding meaningful ways for you to contribute. Please contact us at [email protected] to learn how you can volunteer.

General Admission to the museum is free. 

Please consider Making a Donation in any amount. Thank you!

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