The Museum was founded by Ralph E. Hunter, Sr., and supported by a coalition of area businesses, education professionals, collectors and community residents, the African American Heritage Museum came from one mans dream.

More then thirty years ago, Mr. Hunter began a personal collection of African American cultural, artistic, and media images that inspired the museum.  Tucked away in the back of a North Carolina antique shop was an original edition of Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman. “I bought it to take it off the market,” Mr. Hunter says. But his goal was not to hide it - just the opposite. His dream was to display it in an effort to preserve history and transform his treasures into an exhibit. After more than three decades of acquiring pieces, the collection now numbers in the thousands.  The African American Museum is committed to bringing its resources directly to the community because their heritage needs to be realized.  Special programs with curriculums tailored to children and adults of all ages are available to schools and non-profit organizations.  Often accompanied by the museum’s founder, the irrepressible Mr. Ralph Hunter, the traveling museum is entertaining and interactive.  The African American Heritage Museum has an impressive collection of items, including graphics, drawings, paintings, advertisements, household and decorative items, all depicting blacks in a historical context.  In a decade-by-decade account, from Aunt Jemima to Tiger Woods, the museum provides a visual and visceral understanding of how the African American culture has evolved and changed.