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Celebrate Black History Month on the California Museum’s Self-Guided Tour
SACRAMENTO, January 31, 2025: In honor of Black History Month, the California Museum is presenting a self-guided Black History Tour throughout February highlighting the contributions of Black Californians to the state’s rich history. Focusing on themes of resilience, activism, democracy and community, the tour features notable Black individuals, movements and organizations found within the California Museum’s signature and temporary exhibit content.
“The tour is designed for visitors to identify Black history throughout the entire Museum,” said California Museum volunteer and public program specialist Jessica Cushenberry, who developed the first self-guided tour in 2023. “History is not exclusive to one grouping of people, it’s inclusive, and the broader the perspective we provide, the more we can understand each other.”
The tour is updated every year to include new exhibits and additions to the Museum. New to this year’s tour are stops within the temporary exhibit “Our War Too: Women in Service,” where visitors will learn about the pioneering Black women who served in World War II. Among them are the members of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the first and only all-Black, all-female battalion deployed overseas, and the focus of the recent Netflix movie “The Six Triple Eight.”
The tour stops at digital displays covering the lives and legacies of Black California Hall of Famers such as the late Quincy Jones, Charlotta Bass and the recently inducted Tina Turner. Also on view is “Kamala Harris: The First But Not The Last,” a new addition to the signature exhibit “Women Inspire” exploring the life and career of the former vice president.
The self-guided tour takes approximately one hour but is designed for visitors to explore the Museum at their own pace. A digital copy of the tour map with markers highlighting focal points is available at californiamuseum.org/blackhistory. Printed maps are available with paid Museum admission through February 28. To purchase tickets or find visitor information, visit californiamuseum.org/visit.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA MUSEUM: The California Museum celebrates the state’s rich history, its diversity and its unique influence on the world of ideas, innovation, art and culture. Established in 1998, the Museum is home to the official California Hall of Fame and many more exhibitions inspiring visitors to make a mark on history. Learn more or plan a visit at californiamuseum.org.