How Fort Worth could become a hub for Black history

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In Fort Worth, three distinct projects are underway to preserve and celebrate Black history, potentially making the city a central hub for African American heritage.

**1. National Juneteenth Museum:**
– The National Juneteenth Museum aims to educate the public about Juneteenth, the day in 1865 when slaves in Texas learned of their freedom.
– Named after Miss Opal Lee, who advocated for Juneteenth to become a national holiday, the museum will honor her efforts.
– Located on Fort Worth’s Southside, the museum will also spotlight local history, including figures like William Madison McDonald, Texas’s first black millionaire.
– In addition to exhibitions, the 50,000 square-foot cultural center will host events, feature a food hall, and provide resources for entrepreneurs.
– BNSF Railway recently donated $2 million to the project, which is expected to open on June 19, 2025.

**2. Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing:**
– The Fred Rouse Center will repurpose a building once used as the headquarters for the Ku Klux Klan in Fort Worth.
– Named after Fred Rouse, a black butcher lynched in 1921, the center will celebrate communities historically targeted by the Klan.
– It will use arts and community engagement as tools for healing and reconciliation.
– Nonprofits are working to raise $35 million for the project, which will take several years to complete.

**3. Fort Worth African American Museum and Cultural Center:**
– This proposed museum is in its early stages, with no confirmed location yet.
– The Fort Worth Community Arts Center is among the potential locations being considered.
– The museum aims to highlight prominent African American leaders in Fort Worth’s history and cultural development.
– While the city evaluates proposals for the community arts center, plans are in place to find a suitable home for the museum.

These projects reflect a commitment to preserving and sharing Fort Worth’s rich African American heritage, ensuring that important stories are not forgotten as the city continues to grow and evolve.

In Fort Worth, three distinct projects are underway to preserve and celebrate Black history, potentially making the city a central hub for African American heritage.

**1. National Juneteenth Museum:**
– The National Juneteenth Museum aims to educate the public about Juneteenth, the day in 1865 when slaves in Texas learned of their freedom.
– Named after Miss Opal Lee, who advocated for Juneteenth to become a national holiday, the museum will honor her efforts.
– Located on Fort Worth’s Southside, the museum will also spotlight local history, including figures like William Madison McDonald, Texas’s first black millionaire.
– In addition to exhibitions, the 50,000 square-foot cultural center will host events, feature a food hall, and provide resources for entrepreneurs.
– BNSF Railway recently donated $2 million to the project, which is expected to open on June 19, 2025.

**2. Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing:**
– The Fred Rouse Center will repurpose a building once used as the headquarters for the Ku Klux Klan in Fort Worth.
– Named after Fred Rouse, a black butcher lynched in 1921, the center will celebrate communities historically targeted by the Klan.
– It will use arts and community engagement as tools for healing and reconciliation.
– Nonprofits are working to raise $35 million for the project, which will take several years to complete.

**3. Fort Worth African American Museum and Cultural Center:**
– This proposed museum is in its early stages, with no confirmed location yet.
– The Fort Worth Community Arts Center is among the potential locations being considered.
– The museum aims to highlight prominent African American leaders in Fort Worth’s history and cultural development.
– While the city evaluates proposals for the community arts center, plans are in place to find a suitable home for the museum.

These projects reflect a commitment to preserving and sharing Fort Worth’s rich African American heritage, ensuring that important stories are not forgotten as the city continues to grow and evolve.