For the first time, the Owensboro Museum of Science and History is mounting a major exhibit about the region’s African-American community.
The exhibit is called “A Journey Shared: African-Americans in Daviess County.”
Museum CEO, Kathy Olson, said the main reason for the exhibit was to gather and preserve 200 years of African-American history to coincide with the Daviess County’s bicentennial celebration. But she said museum exhibits always strive to improve understanding.
“Considering some of the things that have happened nationally as of late we were hoping that it might open a community dialog and how we move forward as a community and as a nation,” said Olson.
Olson said gathering 200 years of the region’s African-American history was a challenge, especially because much of the earliest information was not well-documented. But she said the collected materials are a critical piece of history.
“Within our Daviess County and within our region if we can have a better understand of the people with whom we live and live around," said Olson. "It makes for a better community.”
The exhibit includes oral histories, the music of a regional doo-wop band, and films that used to be called “black westerns,” featuring a local actor.
It opens Friday at 7 o’clock and runs through the end of November.
