Florida’s lawmakers looking to create new African American museum

Hillsborough County commissioners unanimously voted in favor of setting up an institution dedicated to an African American arts and culture museum. The Tampa, Florida, museum will feature art and artifacts that include jewelry, textiles and other items of cultural significance, reports the ArtForum.com. “This is something that is vitally important,” said Commissioner Lesley Miller Jr. to the Tampa Bay Times. “I’m asking staff to turn over every rock they can to make it happen.” Miller, the county’s only Black commissioner, was a friend of Israel “Ike” Tribble, a pioneering educator and civic leader, who founded the now defunct African American Museum of Art in Tampa in 1991. The institution was the home of the Barnett-Aden African-American art collection, which was valued at about $7 million, but shuttered after only six years because of financial troubles. The Florida county is also currently home to the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum in St. Petersburg, which exhibits mostly art works. For Miller, an important role of the proposed museum would be to exhibit cultural heritage objects in addition to art. The institution is mostly supported through grants and donations. The next step in realizing the new museum will be identifying an appropriate site for the institution. According to Miller, the commissioners will seek funding from the private sector, and they hope to partner with local philanthropists. In addition, to the museum vote, the commissioners also approved the creation of a Black Heritage and Cultural Council, dedicated to preserving Black history.