Twenty-five years before the Civil Rights Movement gained momentum, scholar Carter G. Woodson introduced Negro History Week, the forerunner to Black History Month. Woodson’s intention was to study, celebrate and preserve the contributions of African Americans that were often overlooked or ignored in history lessons.
Negro History Week launched to coincide with the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass during the second week of February. Today, Black History Month is recognized throughout the month of February.
To celebrate Black History Month and the spirit of Woodson, we’ve gathered a list of museums near several IHG®Army Hotels locations so you can learn more about the ways African Americans shaped our history.
National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)
Washington, D.C.
49 minutes from Fort Meade, Md., Candlewood Suites Building 4690
Opened in 2016 near the Washington Monument on the National Mall, this is the only national museum dedicated exclusively to the life, history, and culture of African Americans. More than 40,000 artifacts make up several permanent and rotating exhibits and collections. Learn about “Cultural Expressions” through African American art, food, and language. Experience the new international exhibit “In Slavery’s Wake,” which is a collaboration between museums, communities, universities, and nonprofits worldwide that will reshape how visitors think about the history of slavery around the globe. From sports to religion to activism to art and so much more, NMAAHC shares a broad and thorough story of African American history and culture.
The best part? As part of the Smithsonian Institution, this museum is free and open to the public!
National Great Blacks in Wax Museum
Baltimore, Maryland
56 minutes from Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., Candlewood Suites Building 2250
This nationally recognized museum features wax lookalikes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, President Barack Obama and about 150 other prominent figures in African American history. Take a self-guided tour, visit with a group or peruse more than 360 virtual tour options from wherever you’re located. In an upcoming exhibit, renowned artist Stephen Hayes will share his installation “Cash Crop,” which unveils 15 life-sized human sculptures—casts of his family and friends—bound in chains. And check out the event schedule for upcoming celebrations, courses, and performances.
National Voting Rights Museum and Institute
Selma, Alabama
2 hours and 20 minutes from Fort Novosel, Ala., Holiday Inn Express Building 308
As one of the greatest advances to come out of the Civil Rights Movement, this museum focuses on the journey that led to voting rights for African Americans. Exhibits and artifacts shine light on events like “Bloody Sunday” and the Selma to Montgomery March that played a significant role in gaining this crucial right. In the main gallery, visitors can view the “March” mural, a history of the Dallas County Voters League, a timeline of events and a gallery on women’s suffrage. Other exhibits highlight nonviolence, the Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, MLK, a voting booth exhibit and more.
Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture
Baltimore, Maryland
48 minutes from Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., Candlewood Suites Building 2250
Located in downtown Baltimore, this museum is the “authentic voice of Maryland African American history and culture.” Its permanent collection boasts over 400 years of history, but the museum is more than a building to view artifacts that illustrate African American arts, sports, politics, military and more—it’s a space to interact and learn. Before you go, check out events like “Blacks in White: African American Health Professionals,” “Beyond Their Years: The Incredible Legacies of Herb Carnegie and Buck O’Neil,” and “MLK Author Talk: King A Life with Jonathan Eig.”
Atlanta, Georgia
1 hour, 45 minutes from Fort Moore, Ga., Holiday Inn Express Abrams Hall
Atlanta’s oldest Black History Museum—celebrating 45 years in operation—is situated on a street steeped in history and housed in a building laid brick by brick by African American masons. Its name, APEX, is an acronym for African American Panoramic Experience, and it offers just that: a broad view of African American history and culture, with a special focus on the often overlooked story of the African Diaspora. Learn more about the history of Sweet Auburn Street, the culture and contributions Africa has made worldwide, the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and women in STEM. You can also participate in workshops and community events that help bring this rich history alive.
The African American Museum in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2 hours, 8 minutes from Carlisle Barracks, Pa., IHG Army Hotels on Carlisle Barracks—Historia
Down the block from Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia’s Historic District, this vibrant museum aims to inspire and educate visitors through African American art, history and culture. A recent exhibit extended by popular demand, “Rising Sun: Artists in an Uncertain America,” asked 20 artists to interpret whether the sun is rising or setting on American democracy. Other exhibits focus on photography in Philadelphia’s Black community, a collaboration with Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Reimagining Reentry program on mass incarceration and a permanent display depicting the stories and contributions of African Americans during America’s founding years. Look for upcoming educational opportunities and events, too.
Museum of the African Diaspora
San Francisco, California
39 minutes from Parks RFTA, Calif., IHG Army Hotels Buildings 1150 & 1151
This stunning modern cultural arts museum “celebrates Black cultures, ignites challenging conversations and inspires learning through the global lens of the African Diaspora.” Since 2005, MOAD has played a significant role in local arts in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a Smithsonian Affiliate, it is one of the only museums globally to focus on the culture of African Diaspora, boasting exhibits like “Spectrum: On Color and Contemporary Art” and “The Only Door I Can Open: Women Exposing Prison Through Art and Poetry.”
This February, let's pause to remember or to learn more about the joys, struggles, hardships and accomplishments that have been a part of the African American experience, because Black History is American history.
At IHG Army Hotels, we are proud to champion inclusivity and diversity for our family of staff and guests.
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