 | | Fort Bend County Heritage Unlimited Museum educational director Mable Huff-York of Needville, along with Sandi Newkirk, museum president, hold photographs of members of Oak Hill Baptist Church, once led by the Rev. Benjamin Jordan. As part of the museum's latest exhibit on African-Amerian legislators of Texas, Barbara Jordan, the first African-American woman to become a Texas congresswoman, is one of many exhibits on display through Nov. 30. (Staff photo by Barbara Swarm)
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| Fort Bend County Heritage Unlimited Museum, located in Bates Allen Park near the banks of the San Bernard River, is presenting through the rest of this month its first major exhibit, “Forever Free: African American Legislators of Texas”.
The museum is open from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, and from noon to 2 p.m. Thursdays. The exhibit chronicles the achievements of 45 unique trailblazers by offering a first-hand look at their roles in politics and public service from the civil rights era to today. There will be posters and DVDs available to purchase for a small fee, along with photos, handouts and videos for all to enjoy.
Recently opened, the museum's central location targets local communities such as Beasley, Needville, Rosenberg, Richmond, Booth-Crabb-Thompson, Fulshear-Simonton, and extends across the river to Hungerford Boone's Bend.
“We feel it's an asset to the community,” said Sandi Newkirk, museum president. In addition to the museum, there are also two cemeteries on site.
“We've got to make sure that area is preserved,” explained Newkirk, who considers the vicinity as the “cradle of African-American history in Fort Bend.”
“Our goal is to have walking tours as well as riding tours,” explained Newkirk. “One of the original town sites of Kendleton is right here on the banks of the river. We want to bring that whole thing together and tell the story there. There are so many ties right here.”
The exhibit showcases the connections by way of black legislators in Texas from 1967 to 2007. From Dr. Alma Allen to the late Barbara Jordan, and from Harold Dutton to Craig Washington, to name a few, “many have real strong ties to this area,” said Newkirk.
Forever Free is a must-see for everyone, she stressed. “Families, friends, co-workers, church members, old and young alike, will enjoy this informative and educational showcase of African-American contributions to Texas history and culture. We hope students will learn that they can do this, be motivated more to make a contribution that impacts every aspect of their lives.”
On the museums' drawing board are more educational programs and exhibits for the public to experience and discover the cultural history of Fort Bend County, “specifically, the roles played by African Americans,” said the museum's educational director, Mable Huff-York, who also shares her passion for genealogy by offering visitors first-hand experience in researching their ancestry in her own personal genealogy corner in the museum.
For more information call 979-531-8694.
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