hafam-museum

Where Culture and ​Comm​unity Thrive

HUNTINGTON AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM

From left, Greg Wagner, Huntington’s director of cultural affairs; Barry Lites, Huntington African American Museum board chairman; Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth; Irene Moore, museum board vice chairwoman, and Beverly Gorham, museum secretary, at the proposed site of the Huntington African American Museum on Dec. 19. Credit: Barry Sloan

Who Are We

We are a passionate community committed ​to creating an African American museum ​that embodies the spirit of unity, education, ​and celebration. Our endeavor is rooted in ​a shared vision to honor the profound ​history, cultural richness, and diverse ​contributions of African Americans.

As a collective, we believe in the power of ​storytelling to preserve heritage and ignite ​understanding. Our dedicated team ​comprises historians, educators, artists, ​community leaders, and advocates who are ​driven by a common goal: to curate a ​museum that serves as a vibrant tapestry of ​the African American experience.

What We Do

Dedicated to preserving and honoring the stories that define us, we strive to ​create an immersive experience that educates, enlightens, and inspires. ​Through engaging exhibits, interactive displays, and educational programs, ​we aim to foster understanding, appreciation, and unity within our diverse ​community.

The Mission of the Huntington African American Museum is to provide a forum for those interested in African-American History and culture to explore and celebrate the contributions of African Americans’ lifestyle, culture, art and traditions through education, exhibits and programs with an emphasis on Huntington’s African American History.

The museum will highlight a collection of African American artifacts, documents, photographs, and other archival collections that will educate visitors of all ages about Huntington’s African American history and culture.

“Legacy is not what’s left tomorrow when you’re gone. It’s what you give, create, impact and contribute today while you’re here that then happens to live on.”

Rasheed Ogunlaru

Request for Proposal:

EVP CHARGING STATIONS

Please find the RFP for the ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS planned for the Huntington African American Museum. Please reach out to info@hafammuseum.org with any questions.

EVENTS

How Wellness Can Improve Our Mental Health

On February 23, 2025, the Huntington African American Museum co-sponsored a community event:  a panel discussion entitled “How Wellness Can Improve Our Mental Health.”  The event brought together mental health and other health professionals to discuss the elements of overall health and how they can contribute to our mental well-being.  Click below to view the panel discussion. Passcode: 1Eq+^PB3

Notable African Americans in Huntington

  • Geraldine Allen
  • Reverend Jerry and Glorious Artis
  • Veronique Bailey
  • Samuel and Rebecca Ballton
  • Jarrette and Beverley Brathwaite 
  • James and Naomi Brown
  • Joye Brown
  • Sandra & Daniel Bullock
  • Mariah Carey
  • Robert (Bob) Carter
  • Ruthanne Cooley
  • Gloria Cox
  • Peter Crippen
  • Darryl Dodson
  • Tracey A. Edwards
  • Jean Roland Esquerre
  • Timothy L. Flythe
  • Michele Foulke-Edwards
  • Albert Irvington Foulke & Lottie Mae Smith-Foulke
  • Dr. Carl Granger
  • Louise and James Green
  • Beverly Gorham
  • Christine Guthman
  • Jillian Guthman
  • Maureen Guthman
  • Mabel Harris
  • Reverend Mother Agnes Amelia Hiller
  • Reverend Dr. William Houston
  • Glenda Jackson
  • Paul H. Johnson, Sr.
  • Reverend Aldustus Earl Jordan, Jr
  • Sidney Joyner
  • Hilda Lane
  • Barry D. Lites
  • Hall Magny
  • Betty J. Miller
  • Irene Moore
  • Judge Peter J. Newman
  • Peter J. Newman
  • Bishop Decatur Ward Nichols
  • Lucille O’Garra
  • Leslie “Les” Payne
  • Edna Point
  • Bishop Norris Porter
  • Alexander Richardson
  • Reverend William H. Roper
  • Richard Robertson III
  • Ginette Rows, RN
  • Olive Salih
  • Ulysses Spicer
  • Abram Allen Stokely
  • Yvette Stone
  • Kevin Thorbourne
  • Beatrice Toliver
  • Irving (Beatrice) Toliver
  • Claris Waller
  • Thomas Watkins
  • Rev. Dr. Larry and (Leading Lady) Washington

Organizations:

  • Bethel A.M.E. Church
  • Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church
  • Joshua Baptist Cathedral of Huntington
  • Mt. Calvary Holy Church of Huntington
  • Odd Fellows Hall
  • Usry Memorial Deliverance Temple

Board of Directors

Barry D. Lites, Esq

Read Bio

Irene Moore

Read Bio

Kevin Thorbourne

Huntington’s Outstanding Individuals

Peter Crippen

1809-1875

Pioneer of the African American community in Huntington, Peter Crippen made his way to Huntington from Virginia and purchased a grist mill, the oldest industrial building in North America, and made it his home. The home remained in his family for over 100 years through 2019. Mr. Crippen was a founding member of Bethel AME Church, the first African American church in Huntington.

PHOTO CREDIT:
https://1653foundation.org/crippen-house/

Jupiter Hammon

1711-1806

A lifelong enslaved person and an American writer, Jupiter Hammon is acknowledged as “the father of African American poetry.” His poems were first published in 1761, the first African American published poet in North America. Beyond his groundbreaking poetry, he also authored prose, served as a preacher, and worked as a commercial clerk for the Lloyd family on what is now known as Lloyd Neck, New York.

PHOTO CREDIT:
https://english.colostate.edu/jupiter-hammon-collage/

Booker Washington

1856-1915

An American educator, author, and orator, served as the predominant leader in the African American community and contemporary Black elite from 1890 to 1915. For many years, Huntington was Mr. Washington’s summer home.

PHOTO CREDIT:
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/booker-t-washington

Alice Coltrane

1937-2007

Alice Coltrane stands as one of this country’s leading women in jazz. A skilled pianist and one of the rare jazz harpists in history, Alice Coltrane lived in Huntington with her husband, John, as an accomplished American musician, composer, bandleader, and Hindu spiritual leader.

PHOTO CREDIT:
https://www.alicecoltrane.com/

John William Coltrane

1920-1967

A lifelong Huntington resident and iconic American jazz saxophonist, bandleader, and composer, he stands as a pivotal and highly praised figure in the realms of jazz and 20th-century music.

PHOTO CREDIT:
https://www.johncoltrane.com/biography

Samuel Ballton

1838 -1917

An enslaved person-turned Union Army veteran, Samuel Ballton traveled north to Huntington and made it his home. As a real estate developer in the Greenlawn section of Huntington, many of the homes he developed stand to this day. As a prolific farmer, he earned the moniker “the Greenlawn Pickle King” in 1899 by cultivating 1.5 million cucumbers-turned-pickles in a single season.

PHOTO CREDIT:
https://www.huntingtonny.gov/filestorage/13747/99540/16499/Samuel_Ballton.pdf

Contact Us

3 + 13 =

23 Green Street, Suite 209 Huntington

info@hafammuseum.org

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