African American Museum needs YOUR help on their road to recovery

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Bowling Green’s beloved African American Museum has been through the ringer between December’s tornadoes and an electrical fire shortly after.

Currently, the African American Museum’s artifacts that survived the fire are stored in the Kentucky Museum’s conservation lab. 

Conservationists are working to restore the fire-damaged items in hope of returning them to the Erskine House soon. 

The Kentucky Museum set up a GoFundMe page and a conservation grant to help restore the African American Museum, but they could use their community’s help to get back on their feet once again. 

African American project manager Wathetta Buford commented, “We are very appreciative of all the donations that we have received and continue to receive.”

Kentucky Museum director Brent Bjorkman said, “I think that’s really our main concern is to be able to get our friends back on their feet and get them back into the building they want to be back in and having everything preserved as best it can and continue on in a positive way.”

A conservation specialist will visit next month to work alongside the African American Museum and the Kentucky Museum to figure out the next steps. 

Bjorkman hopes to see the museum up and running again in six to eight months.