{"id":194698,"date":"2026-02-26T11:52:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T11:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/194698\/"},"modified":"2026-02-26T11:52:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T11:52:08","slug":"california-museum-honors-black-history-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/194698\/","title":{"rendered":"California Museum honors Black History Month"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Black History Month, the California Museum<\/a> invites visitors to explore the state\u2019s history through a lens focused on the stories, struggles, and achievements of Black Californians.<\/p>\n

The museum\u2019s self-guided Black history tour \u2014 offered year-round \u2014 takes on added visibility in February.<\/p>\n

Jessica Cushenberry, the museum\u2019s public programs manager, said this month is an opportunity to intentionally highlight stories already woven into the institution\u2019s exhibits.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tour is offered year-round to promote Black history and updates yearly as we get new temporary exhibits,\u201d Cushenberry said. \u201cDuring Black History Month, we use the tour as a tool to remind current audiences and engage new audiences about our exhibits and the evergreen display of Black history at the museum.\u201d<\/p>\n

The tour lets guests see the museum\u2019s ongoing display of Black history and better understand the broad impact and influence of Black Californians.<\/p>\n

\"AA display featuring Venus and Serena Williams is part of the California Museum\u2019s self-guided Black history tour. Photo courtesy California Museum<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is important to highlight Black History during Black History Month because it gives us a chance to illuminate Black Californian stories,\u201d Cushenberry said.<\/p>\n

While Black History Month often spotlights national icons, the museum\u2019s tour shifts the focus to figures rooted in California, some of whom visitors may not recognize.<\/p>\n

Among them is Delilah Beasley, a journalist who chronicled the advancement of Black Californians from pre-statehood through the early 1900s. Visitors also learn about Andrea Perez and Sylvester Davis, who challenged bans on interracial marriage before the U.S. Supreme Court struck them down, and Nathaniel Colley,<\/a> Sacramento\u2019s first Black attorney, who successfully fought for housing desegregation and racial equality.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is unique about this tour is that it allows guests to view vignettes or small illustrations of Black American culture and history through the lens of California,\u201d Cushenberry said.<\/p>\n

She said the tour\u2019s mission is to engage, educate and enlighten visitors about California\u2019s rich history and diversity. Exhibits are designed to present multiple perspectives and place Black American history within the broader context of each era, helping audiences understand how Black Californians shaped both state and national narratives.<\/p>\n

\"\"A Black Panther Party flier on display at the California Museum is included in the self-guided Black history tour. Photo courtesy California Museum<\/p>\n

At a time when conversations about race and history are increasingly politicized, Cushenberry said the museum views its role as educational rather than political. Past exhibits have included a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition on the Green Book and a recent exhibit focused on members of the Black Panther Party.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t hold all the answers, nor do we have the physical space to tell all of California\u2019s history at one time,\u201d she said. \u201cSome of these stories are uplifting, while others reveal that California has not always lived up to its promise.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Presenting both injustice and resilience, she said, gives visitors context to better understand the present and encourages them to help shape a more equitable future.<\/p>\n

Though spotlighted during Black History Month, the tour is not seasonal. It is offered year-round and updated as new exhibits are introduced. February serves as a reminder \u2014 and an invitation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope guests feel more knowledgeable about the impact that Black Californians have made on this state,\u201d Cushenberry said.<\/p>\n

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