Welcome to the Jim Crow Museum. We are an anti-racism institution. We use objects to inform, to teach, and to create dialogues about race relations. Our approach is to use primary sources to document and learn from the past. We are educators. The museum is not a shrine to racism, but a collection of objects and attitudes that shaped history.

This history belongs to all Americans as inheritors of the legacy of Jim Crow. This museum is a testimony to the resiliency of African American people. It is a collection of narratives that demand contemplation. Everyone is welcome, yet this space may not be for everyone. Confronting history is a fact-based endeavor, but it may be an emotional struggle that is overwhelming for some visitors. Our mission is to teach tolerance using objects of deeply rooted intolerance. We combat ignorance with truth and replace fear with empathy. The Jim Crow Museum promotes personal and community awareness, social justice, and racial healing.

Please explore this beta version of the Jim Crow Museum's digital collection.

Please use the built-in search bar (look for the magnifying glass in the top right corner) to search the collection for specific terms or phrases.