African American Museum of Dallas Preserves History Through Digitization

Preserving Priceless Artifacts

• 🏛️ The African American Museum of Dallas is dedicated to safeguarding historical artifacts and memories from being lost to time.
• ⏳ Many of the materials are very old, requiring particular care in handling to prevent damage.
• 📰 Items like a 1968 Ebony magazine and records from the Booker T. Washington High School (originally the Negro School) are among the collections.

Protecting Against Erasure

• 🧠 The museum's president and CEO, Lisa Ross, emphasizes the importance of protecting these memories against those who wish to erase our history.
• 🚫 The sentiment is that "We can't be erased," highlighting the museum's mission to ensure the past is remembered.

Digitization for Accessibility and Preservation

• 💰 A significant $3 million grant from the Texas Historical Commission, along with support from Google, is funding the digitization of the museum's collections.
• 🌍 Digitizing the collections makes them available to a global audience and ensures their preservation in perpetuity.
• 📜 Materials gathered over 50 years, such as "negro passports," are being preserved, with archive manager Faith Goden noting the historical parallels and the need to protect these fragile items.

Inspiring Future Generations

• ✨ The museum showcases more than just items on display; it embodies the souls of the people who connect with the exhibits.
• 🎨 Folklore art, like that of Mr. Imagination, is soon to be displayed, aiming to inspire children to use their imagination and become who they want to be.