The location outside of the museum is very unique.  Honestly, I would not know there was a museum there unless I looked for it.  It can be hard to pick out.  Also, there were other museums around it, and even across the street, so I feel like it can be overshadowed by the rest because of how small it is. I was not expecting much from the interior, but it was actually very neat and put together. There was more artwork than anything else. Although, on the first floor there were audio guides explaining what people back then had to go through and what they survived before African Americans were liberated. 

As a group, we wanted to learn more about things like the civil rights movement and the underground railroad.  I wish that they dove deeper into certain subjects and not pass over them so that by the end of the museum tour we would have more knowledge as a group.  

 The Rising Sun Chair replica is important in understanding the museums argument. Our perception of the chair changed when we realized it was a replica, since it was the only artifact, and it was not even a primary source.  The argument of the museum is to bring awareness to the African American struggle, even in todays society.  The first thing I noticed about the chair was what good shape it was in.  Sometimes historical artifacts are not in great shape, and even though it is only a replica, does not mean it couldn’t have broken down over the years.  This shows how well the museum staff cares about the museum as a whole and wants it to be a learning experience for everyone. This object fits into the history of the museum because it is saying that even though we may not have the best artifacts, if you put the time in, you will learn a lot.  This will teach museum goers that it is not about how many artifacts are put into the museum, but the learning process and knowledge you will gain from going. 

An artifact that our group found is not necessarily an artifact, but more of an exhibit.  We found an example of a blind woman who was forced into slavery and was going blind.  We found it very helpful that it was someone talking to us and explaining their story, rather than reading about it.  It gave that extra layer of intensity that is needed for these kinds of subjects. This was the perfect example to put in this museum because it gives a sense of any type of false hope that their slave owners cared about them and gets rid of it.  This helped us understand the lives of Black Pennsylvanians in a way that slavery existed all throughout America, not only in the South.  That is a misconception that most people have.