We at the Cultural heritage
Museum Project (CHMP) sincerely thank all of our supporters
and contributors over the past few years. Due to your generosity
we have been able to purchase the building at 242 S. Queen
Street. Also we made some cosmetic changes to upgrade the
facility for minimum use during our pre-construction phase.
We repaired or replaced nearly twelve windows, installed
a unisex bathroom and added temporary heating and air-conditioning
on the first floor. The walls have been painted to handle
temporary exhibits and displays.
Overall we need $5 million
to renovate the existing building ($250,000 - Phase - I)
and construct a 10,000 square foot exhibit center and lecture
hall ($2 million - Phase - II). Additionally, an initial
collection of original artifacts, images and memorabilia
will cost $500,000. The remaining amount will establish a
permanent endowment to cover annual operating costs of $300,000
per year. We need your continued support to complete Phase
- I of the CHMP.
Please join now and make
a contribution towards building a better quality of life
for our community.
Sincerely, Malcolm
The Black Heritage Society, inc. was organized
in the winter of 2000 to create a new economic development
catalyst for Kinston, Lenoir County and eastern North Carolina
through development of a new state-of-the-art Cultural Heritage
Museum Project (CHMP) on South Queen Street in Kinston, NC.
This heritage tourism project will pay tribute to the more
than 200,000 Black soldiers and their 7,000 white officers
who fought in the American Civil War, with emphasis on the
US Colored Troops from North Carolina; it will pay tribute
to Black Military veterans from the area; Carl Long and the
Negro Baseball League Players; local heroes, Africa and Black
History in general.
The CHMP will feature educational displays
and technological presentations, which will compliment the
activities and themes of the many Civil War attractions and
battlegrounds throughout the East Carolina region and the
South. The museum will also serve the learning needs of schools,
local and national, history buffs and the community and nation
at large.
The primary aim of the Cultural heritage
Museum Project is to generate jobs, promote economic expansion
opportunities and create a unified community vision for progress.
Our
African Connection
We have developed solid relationships
with Africa and the African Diaspora community in America,
the Caribbean, South America and Canada. The Black Heritage
Society will become an active member of the Western Hemisphere
African Diaspora Network (WHADN). The prime purpose of WHADN
is to connect persons of African descent with continental
Africans for mutual growth and prosperity.
Recently the African Union
sponsored a workshop in Trinidad and Tobago to discuss structuring
a new relationship with the African Diaspora. This can be
the new "Pan African Movement" which includes culture,
health, political stability, trade and investment and other
issues. Also a forum on the new African Union was held at
the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) to discuss
implementation of the new initiative as well as trade and
investment issues. For more information, view www.democracy-africa.org.
Beech and Professor
Omatayo Olaniyan, acting Permanent Representative,
for the African Union to the United Nations.
Beech and
Mme. Jeanette Ndlhovu, Consul General, South Africa.
BHS RECEIVES GOLDEN LEAF
GRANT TO RESEARCH USCT DESCENDANTS
Kinston, NC --- Recently the
Golden Leaf Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to the Black
heritage Society to research Lenoir County United States Colored
Troops (USCT) members and their descendants. Also the grant
will partially support the Spring Symposium of the United States
Colored Troops Institute on March 4-6, 2005 at the Hampton
Inn. Other requirements of the 12-month grant include collaboration
with Pride of Kinston, and the Historic Preservation group
to develop a heritage tourism plan for Kinston. Planning sessions
should begin soon with all interested parties associated with
heritage tourism.
It is estimated that over 160
Kinston-Lenoir County residents served in the USCT. According
to National Park Service records, at least six regiments of
the USCT participated in the "Advance on Kinston and Goldsboro
March 6 - 21". The US Colored Infantry regiments were
the 5th Regiment, 6th Regiment, 27th Regiment, 37th Regiment,
39th Regiment and the 107th Regiment, 18th Corps, Army of the
James. The 37th Regiment was organized February 3, 1864, from
the 3rd North Carolina Colored Infantry.
The Cultural Heritage Museum
will feature permanent exhibits of the USCT and house the largest
collection of USCT artifacts and memorabilia in the entire
state of North Carolina.
