FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2024

Black History Exhibit Added to the Morgantown History Museum

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - On Friday, February 23, 2024, the Morgantown History Museum will be hosting a reception from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M, to honor African American historical figures and related events throughout Morgantown and Monongalia County. The event will take place at the museum, located at 175 Kirk Street, Morgantown, WV. 

The reception, which will act as the kick-off event to the exhibit, will include light refreshments. The exhibit, will run through May 2024, and will feature a timeline of individuals and events that helped shape African American history throughout the county. 

"Visitors of the exhibit will view the history of African Americans throughout Morgantown and Monongalia County through the eyes of those who actually lived it," said Jason Burns, Morgantown History Museum Manager. "This often overlooked part of history is a building block of our community. The museum is proud to feature these stories, and to represent all of Monongalia County's history"

The exhibit will contain four main galleries. The first exhibit, titled "Settlement, Slavery and the Civil War" reveals the lives of African Americans during the turbulent formative years of the county. 

The second gallery, "Emancipation and Reconstruction" gives a voice to early African American entrepreneurs and other citizens through photos, artifacts and information. The third gallery, "The Shape of Separate but Equal" shows the changes brought about in education for African Americans from elementary through graduate level, and tells the stories of some of the individuals involved in the process. 

The fourth and final gallery, "Modern Figures," showcases African American individuals who have been successful community leaders in their respective fields.

The Black History Exhibit was created in cooperation with the Morgantown/Kingwood National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Scott's Run Museum.  

The Morgantown History Museum is currently open Wednesday- Friday 11:00 A.M.- 5:00 P.M. and Saturday- Sunday  12:00 P.M.- 6:00 P.M. The museum also closes for all state observed holidays. 

For more information on the reception or exhibit, or if you are interest in taking a group tour of the museum, please email morgantownwvhistory@morgantownwv.gov.  

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