Washtenaw County, Michigan, has a rich and storied Black history, dating back to the founding of the area.
The African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County has been operating for more than three decades, and only recently moved into a permanent space. It now calls a historic farmhouse home, which was once owned by influential educators David and Letitia Byrd.
Executive director Lawrielle West is the museum’s only employee.
“This is an organization that has lasted on volunteer power for the past 30 years,” said West.
Volunteers staff the museum during opening hours from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Previously referred to as a “museum without walls,” volunteers and scholars have been sharing black history with the community for decades.
“A lot of folks don’t know that there were black people in Washtenaw County 200 years ago,” said West. “There were folks that were born and raised here, but there were also folks that migrated… or even came from escaping from slavery that wanted to make more for themselves. And they create families here, they created community here, they created legacy, jobs and opportunity.”
The museum’s exhibits feature artifacts from prominent black figures, like a typewriter that belonged to the first black consultant in poetry to the U.S. Library of Congress, Robert Hayden.
They also tell the story of the Great Migration and the local Underground Railroad movement.
The museum leads the Journey to Freedom Underground Railroad tour year-round, which is a member of the National Park Service.
“We have schools, corporate groups, family reunions come through and learn about the Underground Railroad history in the Washtenaw County area,” said West.
The museum is a space driven by the passion to keep stories alive and remember the black experience in an area with a complex and vibrant history.
