The Sacramento History Museum is proud to introduce a new exhibition in partnership with the Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum titled Black Soil, Our roots run deep that is on display now.With its debut coinciding with Black History Month and in celebration of the pivotal role people of African descent have played in Sacramento and California history, the Black farmer and art exhibit explores the history of African Americans in farming. Rich in history, the vibrant exhibition showcases the important discoveries by George Washington Carver in science plus the agricultural impact African Americans had on tobacco, cotton, rice, peanuts, and even ice cream.
“This exhibition is a reminder that Black history is not just written in books — it’s planted, tended, and passed down through the land and into our hands,” said Shonna McDaniels, artist, curator, and founder of Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum.
Collaborators from around the country have joined to create this unique experience. Talented artists provided artwork expressing their deep roots in agriculture and effects on farming in Sacramento with insight from local growers. In addition, artists were asked to participate in creating a unique piece of art from a shovel, a symbol of the toil of their enslaved ancestors,
The Black Soil, Our roots run deep exhibit is on display in the Agriculture Gallery on the first floor of the Sacramento History Museum in Old Sacramento through March 29, 2026. For more information about “Black Soil” exhibit and/or the Sacramento History Museum, please visit www.sachistorymuseum.org.