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B M & T ••• January/February 2014 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 12 Greetings, in this New Year readers. A new year brings new hope, new chances, new explorations and of course, new museum experiences. Two museums, you may want to experience in 2014 Tangipahoa African American Heritage Museum - Hammond, Louisiana As promised in my last column, here's more about this significant museum. Their purpose is to tell the story of African-Americans in all their permutations: Family life, Civil Rights movement, arts and entertainment, inventions, sports, medicine, architecture, politics, religion, law, and tech- nology. The Tangipahoa has eight galleries, over 20 original murals and origi- nal art and artifacts. The African-American culture comes alive for first- time and repeat visitors. This collection of artwork, artifacts and exhibits is one of the largest in the South. A special area of concentration in the Museum is its collection of data and exhibits on African-American veterans of military service in its "coop- erative endeavor agreement" with Southeastern Louisiana University. A perfect meetings and banquet space, Tangipahoa has three main buildings. The north building has a dinner theater and storage, while the middle building contains the main displays of African-American heritage. The south building offers a spacious banquet hall together with multipur- pose conference facilities. Along with to its popularity as a venue for small meetings and confer- ences, the Tangipahoa serves the region's growing family reunions busi- ness. Tangipahoa Parish offers more than 1,200 hotel rooms, five bed and breakfast establishments and eight campgrounds. The Officers and Board of Directors of the Tangipahoa African American Heritage Museum are comprised of volunteer members of the community who believe in the mission of preserving and sharing our cul- ture and heritage. Please also check out their Facebook Archives page which I find to be unique, with its "What happened on this day in Black History." With such tidbits as, Robert W. Lee, executive chef at Harrisburger Hotel, the first African- American executive chef in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, from 1939-1967. Call (985) 542-4259 or visit www.taahm.org. Black American West Museum, - Denver, Colorado While famous for telling the story of Black cowboys, the Black American West Museum is broader with interests in the stories of early Blacks who came west and were miners, soldiers, homesteaders, ranchers, blacksmiths, school- teachers, lawmen, and every other profession needed to build up the West. In fact, the Museum itself is in the home of Dr. Justina Ford, Colorado's first Black woman doctor! The museum houses diverse exhibits like its homestead exhibit. This exhib- it is primarily dedicated to the town of Dearfield, Colorado. Dearfield was a Black pioneer town founded by O.T. Jackson in 1910 just east of Greeley, Colorado. It was a bustling town of approximately 500 residents founded on the principles of Booker T. Washington. It was successful until the 1930s when depression, drought and dust storms forced most of the residents back to the cities. In the early 1940s, the town dwindled to about a dozen full time residents. The town is now a ghost town and the Museum owns many of the city lots. In the Cowboy exhibit, there are various items and photographs from famous and not-so-famous Black cowboys. It includes saddles, spurs, hats, chaps, boots and other cowboy paraphernalia. Learn how each of these daily tools of the Black cowboy were used and valued. Did you know that 1 in 3 cow- boys were Black? In the military exhibits, you will see the story of the Buffalo Soldiers. These were the Black military units, both cavalry and infantry. Also, learn about the Tuskegee Airmen and their heroics during World War II in their support of the US winning war effort. Plus, view photographs, timelines, uniforms, saddles, weapons and additional tools of the soldier of the West. Call (720) 242-7428 or www.blackamericanwestmuseum.org.. 2014, A NEW YEAR...NEW MUSEUM EXPERIENCES BY PATRICIA ANN JORDAN •pg_12-21__BMT_pg3-58 2/27/14 4:37 PM Page 12