Happy New Year! ✨

We hope your holiday season was safe, joyful, and filled with moments of rest.

And now—we’re off and running into a brand-new year!

As we step into 2026, many of us have made resolutions, and so have we. Our resolution is simple: to continue providing you—our community—with rich, meaningful, and often untold history from Southern Arizona and beyond.

What to expect this year:

• Diving deeper into stories of resilience like Camp Naco and the Tulsa Massacre connections.
• Fireside Chats and exciting new exhibitions.
• Expanding our space (fingers crossed!) as we applied to expand our space next door in September of 2024
• Developing new collaborations and uplifting present ones across the region.
• Swim lessons are back for kids and adults! (Thank you, Betsy Bruce!).

Thank you to every supporter, donor, and volunteer.

Your generosity keeps the mission alive. We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during our recent winter recess closure.

Together, we continue to preserve Arizona’s history—one story at a time.





Walk Through History Gala Recap

What a day! We are still buzzing from the energy of our recent mid-day event. It was truly an unforgettable afternoon filled with connection, celebration, and holiday cheer.

Together, we enjoyed:

• Rich History & Community: Reflecting on the stories that bring us together.
• Festive Treats: Sipping hot chocolate and enjoying classic pinwheel sandwiches.
• Holiday Memories: Capturing the spirit of the season with holiday photos.
• A Thrilling Silent Auction: Bidding on incredible items to support our mission.

Special Recognition

A massive thank you to Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated / Omega Rho Zeta Chapter, as well as Patricia Spencer, Monica Williams-Lopez, and their dedicated team. Your hard work and hospitality made the silent auction shine!

To our donors, funders, supporters, volunteers, and friends: Thank you for showing up and "showing out" for AAMSAZ. Your presence turned a simple afternoon into a memorable milestone.

A Look Back, A Leap Forward

3 Years ago, we opened our doors expecting 70 guests in a two-hour window with nine exhibitions. Instead, 362 people showed up!

If you visited back then—thank you! If not, please stop in and if you have not been back in a while....come back—we have so much more to share!

AND.... Moving forward we have more wonderful things planned for 2026

New Look for our Newsletter

New Design by Josh Wallace & Nikieia Johnson

Here's who you should contact going forward.

Email:

nikieiajohnson@arizona.edu

Nikieia Johnson, Director

UA Student Union #244

Tucson, AZ 85719

520-621-2600

When we think about Southern Arizona, it is clear that this place is so much more than geography or landscape—though our mountain ranges are stunning and our sunsets breathtaking—our vibrant arts, delicious foods, and our engaging entertainment scene.

BUT… let’s not forget that we are also defined by our amazing people. Our community here, and supporters across the country, have helped shape something truly beautiful and unique.

Through social media, our website, school visits, business partnerships, and museum tours, we work every day to educate, inspire, and uplift.

We know there is still much more to do, but as we step into this new year, we are filled with gratitude, hope, and momentum.



Museums typically take many years to establish strong foundations, and we appreciate every person who has helped us grow this far. We welcome your stories, your artifacts, your memories, and your recommendations of individuals we should interview. With your help, we will continue documenting the impact of African Americans right here in Southern Arizona.



We also extend our support to Vision Maker Media during this challenging time.

The closure of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting—its primary funder for nearly 50 years—has created significant uncertainty. Yet Vision Maker Media continues to stand firm in its mission: Empowering and engaging Native people to share their stories.

We honor their work, their resilience, and their role in preserving Native voices across the country.

To Our Jewish Brothers and Sisters:

Our hearts go out to the families who have lost loved ones, the brave law enforcement and bystanders who responded—some of whom were injured—and with our global Jewish community. Racism and Religious persecution have no place in our world or the community.

We are deeply saddened by the recent, heinous acts of violence, first in Australia and now here in our own community. We cannot begin to imagine how shaken and heartbroken you must feel.

Please know that we stand with you. Antisemitism has no place in our world.

Photo Courtesy: Justice for Greenwood

The African American Museum of Southern Arizona (AAMSAZ) honors the life and legacy of Viola Ford Fletcher, a revered elder, truth-bearer, and one of the last living survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Pictured above in her survivors story interview with Justice for Greenwood. As a child of seven, Ms. Fletcher witnessed the violent destruction of Greenwood known as Black Wall Street an event that would shape her life and the collective memory of our nation. Her survival, testimony, and unwavering courage ensured that this history could not be erased or forgotten.

Throughout her life, Viola Fletcher carried the weight of history with dignity and resolve. In her later years, she emerged as a powerful advocate for truth, recognition, and justice, sharing her firsthand account with the world and reminding us that history is not distant—it lives within the people who endured it. Her voice helped bring long-overdue national attention to the Tulsa Race Massacre and underscored the importance of preserving Black history through lived experience and oral testimony.

At AAMSAZ, we recognize Ms. Fletcher’s life as a profound example of resilience, remembrance, and responsibility. Her story reinforces our mission to preserve and elevate African American history, ensuring that future generations understand both the triumphs and the traumas that have shaped our communities. We extend our deepest gratitude for her courage and our heartfelt condolences to her family and all those impacted by her legacy. May we honor Viola Ford Fletcher by continuing the work of truth-telling, education, and justice that she so bravely advanced.

Stay Tuned as we connect the Tulsa Massacre to a Tucsonan!



Upcoming Events

Mark your calendars! See full details and flyers below.

Building Bridges on Campus 🫱🏾‍🫲🏿

January 1 – New Year’s Day – We’re off and running into a brand-new year!

January 4 – National Trivia Day – A perfect day to share a fun history fact.

January 5 – National Bird Day

January 11 – The WIZ with ABC – Join us for this special event!

January 15 – National Hat Day – Maybe a tip of the hat to the Buffalo Soldiers?

January 19 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Join us at Reid Park at 10:00 AM.

January 20 – National Day of Racial Healing – Look out for the flyer in this issue.

January 24 – National Compliment Day

January 27 – National Chocolate Cake Day

Building Community + Connections is what we do!

How awesome would it be to provide young people and their parents an opportunity to see their first Broadway performance?

A Better Community (ABC) with the support of the African American Museum of Southern Arizona (AAMSAZ) presents an opportunity to provide FREE Broadway tickets to African American students to experience The Tony® Award-winning Musical "The Wiz" Broadway Show on January 11, 2026 @ 1:00PM at University of Arizona Centennial Hall.

Our digital footprint is growing faster than we ever imagined. Across Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, our community has tuned in over 30,000 times to watch, listen, and learn.

From our viral Reels to our deep-dive history features on YouTube, the numbers are clear: The movement is growing.

• Facebook: Viewership is up 87%
• YouTube: Over 100 hours of history watched
• Instagram: Reaching thousands of new friends beyond our follower base

A Huge Thank You: This growth is powered by our incredible content team—Josh Wallace, Josh Forte, Gloria Hernandez, Sakinah Zika, and Nikieia Johnson—whose creativity ensures our history is not just preserved, but seen.

Research, time, and funding play a major role in bringing exhibitions to life.

Here is a look at the projects currently on our drawing board!

🧵 The Underground Railroad Quilt Code (Upgrade) We are refreshing and expanding this vital interpretation, including a new digital reel to bring the code to life for a modern audience.

🗺️ From Tulsa to Tucson A fascinating look at the "unlikely and unknown" journey of a descendant of a prominent African American businessman from Tulsa, OK to Tucson.

Cathay Williams: The Only Female Buffalo Soldier A premier exhibit featuring original artwork by local artist Robert Jackson.

🎓 UA History 102 Collaboration We are partnering with Dr. Katherine Morrissey and her History 102 students, who are currently assisting with deep-dive research on several of these upcoming projects.

🎖️ Veterans & Memorial Day Tribute A planned honorarium featuring symbols of all military branches and a special musical salute. Status: Development in progress (Funding opportunities available).

🗳️ President Obama in Tucson A digital exhibition highlighting his historic election and his visits to our city. Curated by Intern Sakinah Z.

🌳 “Our Family Tree” Workshop Series A new series teaching community members how to trace their genealogy and record oral histories. Wish List: To launch this, we are currently seeking donations for museum laptops and Ancestry.com access.

And there is more on the horizon! Each of these exhibitions is designed to bring meaningful, impactful stories to audiences throughout the region. Stay tuned for opening dates

Each winter....Yes, it is coming! That’s when Tucson transforms into a dazzling hub for gem enthusiasts, jewelry lovers, mineral collectors, and fossil fans during the world-renowned 

Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase!

 This year, more than 65,000 visitors from around the world will flock to Tucson, for an immersive experience that spans three weeks. Tucson's Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Showcase is coming back to town February 1 - February 16, 2025. 

Our Legacy Founder Investors (LFI), COX, TEP, Elliott Family Charity, Zuckerman Family Foundation, Tucson Foundation

and our Legacy Builders

Paul and Alice Baker

Betsy Bruce

Thank you for your

unwavering support!

Congratulations Betsy Bruce for being named the Outstanding Philanthropist by the Association of Fundraising Professionals - Southern Arizona Chapter! More to come!

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 our Director at nikieiajohnson@arizona.edu to learn how you can volunteer.

General Admission to

the museum is free!

Help us keep it that way by

Making a Donation!

Thank you!

Please know that we do not share or distribute emails that we receive.