September 10, 2011 -- America's Hometown Opens Hannibal African American History Exhibit

What a great day! There were nearly 200 visitors to see this new Exhibit at the Hannibal History Museum. There was food and drink and local entertainment present for the Grand Opening on Saturday, September 10th.

Also present was Reverend Wesley Foster of 8th and Center Street Baptist Church to bless the Exhibit as well as Missouri Representative Lindell Shumake to offer his good wishes.



There were representatives from other civic and community organizations -- too many to mention.

Receiving a grant from the Missouri Humanities Council made it possible to document the seldom seen and often forgotten part of the history of Hannibal. The Hannibal African American Life and History Project board of directors was present and it was obvious that a tremendous amount of work went into creating the exhibit depicting the life and history of African Americans in Hannibal from slavery to the early 1960s -- all on loan or donated by residents and former residents of the community.

As people poured into the Museum, they were introduced to Ken and Lisa Marks, who as curators of the Hannibal History Museum had invited HAALHP to use part of their facility for this exhibit.