I visited the APEX Museum on 12 March 2006. There were many things that caught my eye. The Apex Museum’s mission statement is: to accurately interpret and present history from an African American perspective in order to help all American and International visitors better understand and appreciate the contributions of African Americans to America as well as the world. After seeing the whole museum, I think that that statement is very true. First I visited the Yates and Milton Drug Store, one of Atlanta\'s first Black owned businesses. I heard a lot of stories of early African American pioneers in Atlanta. It was interesting to see all of the things that we discussed in class come to live in these stories. I also learned about the powerful Black Families that helped to make Atlanta great. The APEX has a lot of information also on Auburn Avenue which I never would have thought about. I meet the Apex’s knowledgeable docents and they all share all types of facts that I knew and did not know before I visited the museum. They were all very helpful in answering all my question and listening to me relate the things in the museum to things that I have learned in class. In the Hall of Achievement, (which I found out later, was donated by BellSouth), I found information on African American achievers. It is incredible that they have some many various disciplines. Some of the disciplines are: Black Musicians in Georgia, Black Arts & Cultural Organizations, Community Spirit, Business/Professionals, Black Firsts in Georgia, Georgia Black Olympian & Para-Olympian Medalists, Saving Our Children & Youth, Teachers of Excellence, Young Black Achievers/Tomorrow\'s Leaders, Atlanta Black Male Achievers, Atlanta Black Female Achievers, and Black Living Legend of Baseball. This permanent exhibit derived from the BellSouth Black History Calendars dated 1984-1996, permanently sustains the progress of African Americans.
Gallery A was called “What’s the Big Idea?” How black inventors and their inventions changed our lives. This exhibit pays tribute to the contributions made by Black inventors. Agriculture, Commerce, Quality of Life, Transportation, Sports and Recreation are just a few of the areas in which Blacks have contributed their expertise and ingenuity. Many companies to date have benefited from these inventions. Many items we currently use are a direct result or a derivative of these inventions. In this educational presentation, I learned the names of many inventors I had never heard of like Lewis Latimer and Madame C.J. Walker. Through visuals, I saw the patents that support these inventions. Some of the patents date back to the early 1800’s. From the Air Ships to Air Conditioning Units, Black inventors have been resourceful and creative in their genius. I also learned that the information used in this exhibit comes from direct research with the United States Patent Office and Great Lakes Patent and Trade Center.
Gallery B is called “… and I Still Rise”. This exhibit augments the APEX Museum\'s film \"The Journey\". The area features artifacts of slavery; chains, and documents. I really felt as though I was taken on a Journey through a period known for the worst slavery ever perpetrated on mankind. This section puts great emphasis on the resistance of a people that triumphed through insurmountable odds. Maafa is a Kiswahili word used to describe real calamity, catastrophe, tragedy or disaster. Dr. Marimba Ani introduced it into contemporary African-American scholarship as a preferred reference to the period in world history, identified as the Middle Passage or Transatlantic Slave Trade. This was also very interesting because I could relate it to what we talked about in class about the Transatlantic Slave trade.
Gallery C was the Hall of Achievement. There are many achievers that we know about like Martin Luther King and other famous civil rights leaders, but two people really caught my eye. There was a replica of the Yates & Milton Drug Store that first caught my eye. Established in 1923, by Clayton R. Yates & Lorimer D. Milton, the store was one of Atlanta\'s first Black owned businesses. When viewing the exhibit I could see paddle bats, hair nets, and items once used in that era. It really made me think of how far Black ownership had gotten today compared to on the ownership of Black business during segregation.
In conclusion, I found out that their mission statement was true. The museum accurately interpreted and presented history from an African American perspective in order to help all American and International visitors better understand and appreciate the contributions of African Americans to America as well as the world. Because after leaving the museum, I if felt as though I was taken through a time machine. I really learned a lot and I am glad that this was for a class because in other circumstance, I probably would not have gone.

Registered Members, login
Join now, it's free

Property of EssaySwap.com