Bus Travel Article

 California African-American Museum

California African-American Museum

The mission statement of the California African American Museum says it all "to research, collect, preserve and interpret for public enrichment, the history, art and culture of African Americans with emphasis on California and the western United States".
That mission has truly been accomplished in this facility. There are a myriad of contributions African-Americans have made on display

There is an amazing display of nineteenth century professional landscape paintings including the works of Edward M. Bannister, Robert Scott Duncanson and Grafton Tyler Brown. Most of these paintings were done at a time when sadly, many African-Americans were still in the chains of slavery and most were viewed as inhuman and incapable of educational and aesthetic pursuits in life. These landscapes reflect the times through the eyes of the artists and should not be missed.

The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s brought forth many African-American artists and they established a national cultural identity in all of the arts. As they became familiar with African sculpture, they began to incorporate those elements and iconography into their work.

There is also a section of traditional African art that represents works from a number of works from the central African countries of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon. You will see ceremonial masks,decorative household implements and so much more.

There is also an impressive history collection that reflects the history, heritage and culture of African-Americans in California and the Nation. Including inventions by great African-Americans and so many other great contributions that have been made on so many levels.

The California African-American Museum is not to be missed, be sure and make it a stop on your next trip to Los Angeles.