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Tucked away near Downtown Bryan at 500 East Pruitt Street lies a coveted place of Brazos Valley history in the historic Freedman's area of Bryan on the grounds of the first school for colored youth in Bryan.
The Brazos Valley African American Museum works to share the stories and history of African Americans in the area, with permanent exhibits about African culture, religion and education as well as special rotating exhibits, Brazos Valley African American board member and interim director Barry Davis says.
“We always have the permanent exhibits on display and then we work according to what's coming up next such as things for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month and Veterans Day,” Barry says. “We like to recognize people and groups that the public may not already know about.”
In honor of Black History Month, the museum will showcase an exhibit on the Canaan community, which still stands today through the cemetery located in the area near the Texas A&M University's RELLIS campus.
“The Daughters of the Republic of Texas and volunteers from the Bryan College Station community come out and clean up that area trying to do what they can to keep it up and preserve that,” Barry says. “We got some doctoral students that are working on an exhibit of the area.”
The museum was started by retired educator Mell Pruitt, and husband Willie, who wished to educate the community on the history of African Americans in the Brazos Valley. The couple began collecting artifacts and storing them in their garage, where eventually they were encouraged to compile and display everything in a museum. After acquiring the historical land in Washington Park, the Pruitts worked to design and raise funds to build a unique building in the shape of the letter ‘A’ representing Africa.
Beyond the artwork and exhibits, the museum also offers programs including health fairs and informationals in conjunction with Blinn College and Texas A&M University nursing and public health programs, and the Brazos County Health District.
For those interested in genealogy, the museum houses the Pruitt- Sadberry Genealogy Family History Center, which provides services about building and maintaining a family tree. Expert volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints will help to provide resources for those just getting started in genealogy as well as provide help for those who hit a bump in the road.
“As we continue to grow, we try to look for what will be different, what will be unique that will also be helpful to the community. We had a gentleman come by, and he talked to the curator about a genealogy program and I took it to the board and everyone loved it,” Barry says. “What a great service to be able to offer a community where any ethnic group can come in and get help doing research.”
The Brazos Valley African American Museum is open Tuesdays through Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. and is located in Downtown Bryan at 500 E. Pruitt Street. For more information about the museum, visit bvaam.org.
22nd Annual Appreciation Banquet — Saturday, February 25 at 6:00 p.m.
The annual Brazos Valley African American Museum Appreciation Event is back in-person! The event helps provide the financial support required for the museum to operate and offer quality programs and exhibitions and to celebrate the contributions of this year's honorees. The event will recognize chosen honorees and includes dinner, entertainment and a silent auction. This year’s guest speaker is Dr. Annie S. McGowan, Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity at Texas A&M University.
To get tickets for the event, visit the museum or order on their website at bvaam.org.
