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Rural African American Museum

Rural African American Museum from directly overhead

Rural African American Museum is a museum in Louisiana, at a modelled elevation of 20 m. The nearest named place is North Park, a park 0.2 miles away. Zydeco Cajun Prairie Scenic Byway runs past it.

The story

The Rural African American Museum is a museum in Opelousas that focuses on the history of African Americans living in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States, from the American Civil War to the present. It was inaugurated in late 2018 and is free to tour, although its operations rely primarily on donations. The museum's creator and president is Wilken Jones, a retired social studies school teacher who grew up in the nearby town of Plaisance. The permanent exposition showcases books, objects and press clippings that pertain to the economic, religious and political history of the region. The items on display include antique bedroom furniture, kitchen utensils and farm tools, among other things. The exposition illustrates the conditions of life of many Black sharecroppers in the late 19th and early 20th century. In July 2019, the museum offered a summer camp program to accommodate children affected by the destruction of their churches, following the burning of three Black Baptist churches in St. Landry Parish in April 2019. The museum's activities also feature various public outreach programs aimed at honoring the work of members of the local African American community.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Dates from 2018.

Wikidata Q65807727, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

How to reach it

Coordinates30.54702, -92.07923

Named places within 25 miles

Parks
  • North Park: 0.2 mi
  • North Park: 0.3 mi
  • Opelousas Historic District: 1.0 mi
  • South Park: 1.9 mi
  • Washington Historic District: 5.0 mi
Historic sites: 12
  • Schilling Eagle Statue: 20.4 mi
  • The Indians: 21.0 mi
  • Vietnam and Korean War memorial: 21.7 mi
  • Mosaic Arch: 22.3 mi
  • Downtown Lafayette Arch: 22.4 mi
Museums: 11
Attractions: 5
  • Evangeline Maid Bread Sign: 22.1 mi
  • Vermilionville Historic Village: 23.5 mi
  • Cajun Country Swamp Tours: 24.6 mi
  • De La Houssaye's Swamp Tours: 24.7 mi
  • Champagne's Cajun Swamp Tours: 24.8 mi
Ghost towns: 4
Artworks: 2
  • “The Sky’s The Limit” Sculpture: 21.8 mi
  • “The Sky’s The Limit” Sculpture: 21.8 mi
Rest areas: 1
  • I-49 Rest Area: 12.8 mi
Gardens: 1
  • Rose Garden: 23.2 mi
Springs: 1
  • chicot springs: 24.2 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:1318:4819:20
June solstice06:0719:3920:15
September equinox06:5718:3519:06
December solstice07:0216:3617:12

Local time (America/Chicago).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Sep–May.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F535662687580828278706054
Precip in6.54.53.85.35.77.04.44.45.15.05.04.9

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Grand Coteau, 9 mi away.

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidata

OpenStreetMap element way/964383937

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