The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey (AAHMSNJ) sprang from the passion of its founder, Ralph E. Hunter, Sr. 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. They may make some uncomfortable, but they also serve to start the larger conversation about the true African American experience.
The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc. 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.
Atlantic City Museum Hours:
Wednesday - Saturday 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Sunday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Admission is FREE. Donations are encouraged.
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
Miss Black America
AAHMSNJ Atlantic City | Stockton University's Noyes Arts Garage
2200 Fairmount Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Exhibit Dates: August 1 to September 29, 2024
Reception Date: Saturday, August 10 from 2 to 5 PM
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).
Join us for the opening reception Saturday, August 10th from 2 to 5 pm at the Noyes Arts Garage.
A self-proclaimed “trash picker,” Jackson had a talent for transforming forgotten junk into beautiful pieces of artwork. Born in 1932 in Sparrows Point, Maryland to creative parents, Jackson moved to Philadelphia at the age of eight. He attended the Philadelphia Industrial School of Art where he studied commercial advertising. After serving in the army in the 1950s, Jackson worked for Smith Kline and French Pharmaceuticals as a medical illustrator. Beyond illustration, Jackson excelled in other mediums such as printmaking and mixed media. Jackson died in 2023 at 90 years old.
In 2019, AAHMSNJ acquired Jackson’s sculptures depicting Atlantic City’s Miss America pageant which was governed by a discriminatory policy excluding Black contestants. 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 Miss America Pageant was viewed by more than two thirds of America’s television watchers during its peak in the 1960s and 70s. Considered an annual American tradition, the pageant showcased the beauty and talents of female contestants from all fifty states. The pageant’s guidelines, specifically Rule Number 7, which dated back to the 1930s, stated that the contestant “must be in good health and of the white race.” This race-based exclusion led to J. Morris Anderson creating his own pageant for Black women. With the backing of the regional NAACP, on August 17, 1968, the first Miss Black America pageant was held on the same day as its White counterpart. The pageant received nationwide press for its protest of White beauty standards and in 1970, Cheryl Brown, became the first Black woman to compete in the Miss America Pageant. Subsequently in 1984, Vanessa Williams became the first Black woman to win the Miss America Pageant.
Atlantic City museum hours:
Wednesday - Sunday 11 to 5 PM
Admission to the museum and reception are free, but donations are encouraged.
PAST EXHIBITIONS
The Art of The Quilt: Fiber & Clay
Gloria Gammage Davis, Artist
AAHMSNJ Atlantic City | Stockton University's Noyes Arts Garage
Exhibit Dates: February 1 to March 30, 2024
Meet the Artist Reception: Saturday, February 3 from 2 to 5 PM
The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc. 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.
Join us for the Artist's Reception Saturday, February 3, 2024 from 2 to 5 pm at the Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University.
Davis puts the focus on African American history and culture in her fine art quilt creations. Ms. Davis’ thought provoking compositions employ the techniques of classic needle artistry but deconstruct the form of the familiar rectangular quilt with the use of organic inclusions, abstract shapes, sculptural forms, embroidered text, and African symbology. She uses written and embroidered text, block prints, and colorful African textiles to refine the messages of race and heritage in her artwork.
Davis has exhibited nationally and throughout the region. Her quilts are included in the publications "We Are the Story" (2021), and "Black Pioneer Legacy in the American West" (2022). The multi-talented assemblage artist is a graduate of Cheyney State University of Pennsylvania.
Atlantic City museum hours are Wednesday-Sunday 11am-5pm.
Admission to the museum and reception are free, but donations are encouraged.
The Works of Lawrence Faust
August 18 - December 15, 2023
Opening Reception, Saturday, August 26, 2 - 5 PM
Lawrence Faust began carving wood in his teens and it remained his medium of choice until an encounter with modernist sculptor David Smith inspired him to work with metals. The self taught artist left his New York City art career to establish the Sacandaga Station Art Park in the Adirondacks as his permanent exhibit space. There, he shared his life-sized carved wooden figures, abstract crystal mobiles, whimsical mechanical metal sculpture, and found art forms with visitors to the park whom he encouraged to interact with his artwork.
His work has been categorized by others as folk or outsider art but the artist defined his style as expressionist. Faust described his artwork as a “middle way between a formal and symbolic language” and strove to speak from his African roots. Whatever the classification, he was clearly passionate about exploring the subjects of spirituality and joy in his work.
Color, motion, and fantasy were as relevant to his work as the wood and metal with which he created his figures, forms, and machines. His intention was to lift the spirit, evoke a memory of Africa, or remark on the human condition in his unique way. His wry observations of the world he knew have continued to charm those who have viewed his work since his death in 2014.
Quinton Greene
MOVE 1976: Melvin Irons
January - February 2022
Opening Reception: January 14, 2022, 5 - 8 PM
Stitch Their Names
January - February 2022
Opening Reception: January 14, 2022, 5 - 8 PM
Talking About HERstory
Knowing about history helps us place events into context and make informed decisions about the future, but every voice must be lifted for a true account of events. For many years we learned history from the perspective of the white males who wrote it. The stories of white women, black women, and black men were muted as were the full stories of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and lynching. In a similar manner, the story of women’s suffrage was told by white suffragists. Black suffragists wanted the right to vote but they also wanted to address issues like equal rights and lynching. They protested and marched with white suffragists until they were told to march separately or at the back of white suffrage parades. They were effectively erased from the history of the movement in the “official,” and universally accepted, history of women’s suffrage written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. This time, white female voices were lifted up, but blacks were left out of the story. The AAHMSNJ recognizes the need to inspire the youth of our community by telling our stories. We are honored to shine a light on some of the women who have made a difference in our community. Talking About HERstory is intended to be a “living exhibit” that will continue to grow. Your donation can help us in this effort.
You can visit our website for information on becoming a member. We appreciate your support.
Black Lives Matter
October 1, 2020 - January 31, 2021
Virtual Tour - October 29, 6:00 pm
The “Black Lives Matter” exhibit features sculpture, paintings, photographs, correspondence, and scenes of protest related to resistance past and present. Lavett Ballard’s sculpture of a defiant Aunt Jemima sets a tone of protest that echoes the turbulence of the times. Artists Richmond Garrick, John Morris, Jose Perez, Kelley Prevard, and Melvin Lee Smith capture the history of African American protest on canvas. Photographs of John Lewis and portraits of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd share the gallery with images of Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass.
Desmond Blair
“I don’t believe in disability. I’m different. Not disabled.”
Artist Studio Tour from ArtandSpeak
Desmond Blair is not your usual speaker, teacher and passionate artist; he is a problem solver and has been since childhood. Blair had to learn how to write since he was born without fingers. He tried writing with his feet, his mouth and soon discovered he could use both hands to accomplish this insurmountable task.
He was the only one in school, only one in church, and the only one in the neighborhood with a limb difference. Blair became unstoppable because THIS was not going to define him; he was going to do everything everybody else could do. Due to his tenacity, determination, and staying focused; he went from crayons to paint brushes and from drawing stick figures to portraits while graduating from high school at the age of 16 years old.
Blair’s story has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Jet Magazine, NBC 5 Midday, Dallas Morning News, CW33, and other various media outlets. Desmond is a true force of nature with his compelling message on how to be the master of the soul with divine passion. He is a transformer that will change your life once you hear his riveting and compelling story of life lessons that can be immediately applied.
Blair earned his degree from University of Texas at Dallas where he honed his traditional abilities and transferred them to digital media. He later returned to UTD where he received his Masters of Fine Arts in Art and Technology with a focus on the development of computer graphics and the study/analysis of emerging media trends. After graduation he found himself teaching at UTD and is now working for the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in the Information Technology Department.
Back From Mother Africa
February 1 - September 1, 2018
The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc. (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.
Shona stone comes from the serpentine rock formations that run through the heart of Zimbabwe. The donated sculptures are examples of the cultural art of Zimbabwe and surrounding regions. They will be on display from February 1st to June 30th.
The idea for a show of African was conceived when Museum founder, Ralph E. Hunter, Sr. returned from a trip to Africa with several pieces of indigenous art and a trove of stories about the people he met and places he visited. Although he has shared photographs of that journey previously, Hunter describes the act of curating the current exhibit as a labor of love. He has included several pieces from his personal collection along with artwork donated by Mr. and Mrs. Young.
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. Reina and Anita Millar.
Stealing Home: How Jackie Robinson Changed America
May 1 - August 31, 2017
Opening Reception: Second Friday, May 12, 5 - 8 pm
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 African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey will host a Second Friday reception on May 12th from 5 PM to 8 PM in the Museum at the Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University, 2200 Fairmount Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The exhibit will be on display from May 1st to August 31, 2017.
Now regarded as a national treasure, Robinson rose above the racial antipathy that greeted his entry to the Major Leagues in 1947. He faced racist slurs from jeering fans, opposing teams, and some of his own teammates with courage and grace forging a path for the African American athletes who followed him into the arena of professional sports.
Robinson attended UCLA, served his country as an Army lieutenant, and played in the Negro leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers organization. The Museum’s collection includes Robinson’s glove and bat, and his Negro League and Brooklyn Dodgers uniforms among the artifacts on display. The exhibit also features a video describing the life of the baseball hero and his family, and the signing of his first contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers’ General Manager, Branch Rickey.
This exhibition of Stealing Home: How Jackie Robinson Changed America was made possible by a generous grant from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc. is a nonprofit organization located in Atlantic City. Admission is free but donations are encouraged.
Womens' History Month Exhibition: Five South Jersey Artists
Painting by Atlantic City Artist Najee Watson
March 1 - April 30, 2017
Opening Reception: Second Friday, March 10, 5 - 8 pm
Artists’ Hazel Levy, Tamu King and Najee Watson, as well as the family of Edythe Green will be on hand to talk about the art, its influence and impact.
The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc. 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. This ambitious showing spans generations and includes three highly respected Atlantic City natives and two mainland artists.
The posthumous display of paintings by Edythe Greene and Soundra Usry-Hollingsworth is a nod to an earlier generation. Both women were well known for their roles in Atlantic City’s African American community. The paintings of Hazel Levy, another long-time resident of Atlantic City, are expressive portraits, landscapes, and still life arrangements being shown publicly for the first time. These women shared a passion for art that was deferred for lives spent in service to community and family.
The exhibition also includes the paintings of Tamu King, a Cumberland County artist who describes her abstracts and landscapes as healing therapy. The lone male in the exhibit, Najee Watson, whose artwork is pictured above, approached his vision of the women featured in his photographs as a balance between nature and emotion rendered with the intent to generate aesthetic pleasure.
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. This exhibition exposes the result of their efforts to calm, heal, or inspire through their art."
Black Cowboys & Buffalo Soldiers
February 1 - April 30, 2017
Opening Reception: Second Friday, February 10, 5:00 to 8:00pm
The story of black cowboys and soldiers who have been absent from most historic accounts of the West.
The tale of the American cowboy has captivated historians, fascinated little boys and girls, and driven the plots of western novels and movies since the time of the Civil War, but the role that black cowboys, soldiers and pioneers played in opening the American frontier has been largely ignored. "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.
Exhibition Curator Kimball Baker has written documentaries and features for the Voice of America, and is a former writer and editor for the U. S. Department of Labor. His works have been published in Readings in American History, 200 Years of American Worklife, Smithsonian, Ebony, Aviation Quarterly and a variety of publications.
Jet, Black, Brown and Tan: The Legacy of John H. Johnson
October 1, 2016 - December 31, 2017
Opening Reception: Second Friday, October 14, 5 - 8 pm
John H. Johnson rose from humble beginnings to become an influential social and political personality. His company, Johnson Publishing, was launched with a $500 loan from his mother who used her furniture as collateral. His first magazine, Negro Digest, was published n 1942. It was followed by Ebony Magazine in 1945, Tan Confessions in 1950, JET magazine in 1951, Hue, and Copper Romance in 1953, Ebony Man in 1985, Ebony South Africa in 1995, and later publications, African American Stars and Ebony Jr.
Johnson consulted with American presidents Nixon, Kennedy and Johnson and numerous political leaders. His example has paved the way for magazines such as Black Enterprise and Essence and influenced African Americans in every walk of life. His publishing empire provided opportunities for a generation of black professionals and workers at every level, yet it remained a family centered business. Johnson died in 2005 at 87 years of age.
A Time For Change: Civil Rights In South Jersey
February 1 - May 31, 2017
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.
From South Jerseyans’ pilgrimage to the historic March on Washington in 1963 to Freedom Summer’s arrival on the Boardwalk in the summer of 1964. From the first Miss Black America pageant in 1968, to the origins of Martin Luther King Day that same year. From local desegregation efforts to the Camden riots.
Find out more about these historic events at our NEW EXHIBITION A Time for Change: Civil Rights in South Jersey, sponsored by Stockton University and the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.
