City Celebrates Black History with New Museum Exhibit

Public invited to the second exhibition of a four-part series

February 04, 2025

In celebration of black history, the City of Tallahassee is proud to announce the opening of a new exhibit at its John G. Riley Center/Museum for African American History & Culture. "African Americans in Tallahassee: The Civil War and Reconstruction Era" is the theme of the multifaceted show that runs through the end of 2025. It is the second of a four-part, four-year series that depicts the lives of Blacks in Tallahassee from the Antebellum Period to the Civil Rights Era.

The exhibition offers "a comprehensive narrative of resistance, resilience and success against all odds," said Riley Museum executive director Aron L. Myers, Ph.D. "We started with 'African Americans in Tallahassee: The Antebellum Period,' and now we've moved on to the Civil War, Emancipation and Reconstruction." This will be followed by "The World Wars and Post-War Life" (on display in 2026) and "The Civil Rights Era" (on display in 2027).

The exhibit begins in the museum's Visitor Center, with Tallahassee during the Civil War Era, and ends in the historic Riley House next door. It examines what life was like for newly freed African Americans in Tallahassee, profiles Civil War era pioneers who persevered despite unimaginable hurdles and shines a light on the life and legacy of John G. Riley, the museum's namesake.

"Using oral histories, artifacts, photos and newly rendered maps and illustrations, the exhibit inspires and educates," said Riley Museum curator Ileana Olmos. "Impressive portraits and biographies of Black Tallahassee residents of historical interest are an integral feature of the exhibition." Among them are Antonio Proctor, a freed Black man who, at the age of 80, moved to Tallahassee shortly after its founding in 1824, and Tallahassee-born Margaret Yellowhair, a teacher and the owner of a movie theater for Blacks before desegregation.

The gallery spaces at the Riley House were renovated in 2024, with funding provided by the Florida Department of State. According to Myers, the nearly $285,000 historical grant helped protect the infrastructure of the museum against future environmental or catastrophic threats. "It addressed exterior and interior stabilization and restoration needs and hardened the 135-year-old house," he said. Renovations include restored floors and walls and new windows throughout the two-story building.

The John G. Riley Center/Museum, which is operated and maintained by the City of Tallahassee, is located at 419 E. Jefferson Street. The museum is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for guided tours, which include a stop at the Smokey Hollow Commemoration, and self-guided tours. It is open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays by appointment. In the gift shop, visitors can buy museum memberships, books, Riley House mugs, t-shirts and more. For additional information, visit rileymuseum.org or call 850-891-3560.

Sponsors for the current exhibit include the City of Tallahassee, Florida Division of Arts and Culture, Florida African American Heritage Preservation Network, Council on Culture & Arts and Visit Tallahassee.

Connect with local African American history this month by visiting some of the many historical sites, museums and memorials in Tallahassee, like the John G. Riley Center/Museum, the Footsteps to Freedom memorial at the corner of Monroe and Jefferson streets downtown, the Frenchtown historical markers and more. Get details about these City sites and more at Talgov.com/BlackHistoryMonth.