California Museum Celebrating Black History Month With New Self-Guided Tour

By DeNeeka Hill, KRCA 3
February 3, 2023

In honor of Black History Month, the California Museum is highlighting black history within its exhibits.

“We are promoting the content that the museum houses on a continual basis that identifies where Black people are making contributions to California state history,” said Jessica Cushenberry, volunteer coordinator and public program specialist at the museum. 

As visitors enter the museum, they are given a map that has a suggested path where they can find Black history is actively happening in the museum.

The self-guided tour is the first of its kind at the museum and was created by Cushenberry.

“I went on this kind of self-imposed journey of looking at where do I see people that have experience and backgrounds like me and where can I show people about this because we often do get the question ‘where is the Black history in the California Museum?’ Cushenberry said.

There are more than 40 highlights of Black history across seven signature and temporary exhibits, with multiple names in each, emphasizing Black excellence in California, which Cushenberry says is important information for people of all races.

“History is not exclusive to one grouping of people, it’s inclusive and the broader we can provide that perspective the more we can understand each other. It helps us avoid mistakes that we’ve made in the past, it helps us become better people,” Cushenberry said.

Click here for a link to the museum’s hours and prices.

See the full segment here.