Troy University News

January 21, 2004

Contact:
Andy Ellis or Tom Davis : (334)670-3196; tomdavis@troy.edu

Office of University Relations
253 Adams Administration
Troy, AL 36082
(334) 670-3196
(334) 670-3274 (fax)

Sankofa African-American Museum to make stop at Troy State University

   Troy State University will be presenting the Sankofa African-American Museum on Wheels on Jan. 28 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Jan. 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
    The African-American Museum on Wheels exhibit displays the heritage, legacy and triumphs of African-Americans, tracing black history from 1860 to the present with artifacts from West Africa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Europe.
    Angela W. Jennings, a South Carolina native, created the 200-foot exhibit to help her nephew learn about the history and heritage of African-American culture. Jennings gave her nephew, who was a straight-A student, a quiz on African-American history and he failed. She wanted him to know his heritage and felt he was probably not the only child lacking educational experience about their heritage. She knew that kids would not come to her to learn about African-American history, so she decided to take it to them.
The exhibit will not be in its usual trailer setting, but will be displayed in the Trojan Center ballrooms.
    Jennings has collected artifacts for more than a decade and divides them into five categories for the exhibit: famous African-Americans and their contributions; African-American stamps; Kwanzaa; African-American books; and African-American inventions.
    The exhibit will also feature stories of great African-Americans such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ida B. Wells, the Negro Baseball League and the Tuskegee Airmen.
    “It is happening the week after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the week before Black History Month, which is an ideal time for the Sankofa African-American Museum on Wheels to come to TSU,” said Derrick Brewster, coordinator of student services, “We thought that it would be great for the TSU students to learn about the great accomplishments of the African-American history.”