Freedmen’s Town Museums

06/01/2026

Houston history was shaped by people willing to build bridges when division was easier.

At this year’s Juneteenth Ally Award Barbecue Luncheon, CFHR proudly honors “The Three Amigos of Houston” for their lasting impact on justice, interfaith collaboration, and racial healing.

Honorees include:
✨ Samuel Karff
✨ William Lawson
✨ Joseph Fiorenza

These leaders modeled what allyship looks like long before it became a hashtag.

Join us as we celebrate legacy, leadership, and collective healing.

🎟 Learn more + reserve your seat. LINK IN BIO

05/19/2026

These weather worn boards are physical evidence of freedom, built with the hands of emancipated individuals and families. As you know time can take a toll on these historic structures – right now the moment for action is critical.

Freedmen’s Town Museums Houston of the Rutherford B.H. Yates Museum, Inc. is calling on the community to join hands to perform critical preservation work. By volunteering, you become an active steward of this sacred space while ensuing that the history of Freedmen’s Town is stabilized for generations to come.

🙌 Your hands can save our history. Sign up to volunteer today: www.freedmenstownmuseums-houston.org/volunteer/

05/14/2026

Freedmen’s Town Museums Houston of the Rutherford B.H. Yates Museum, Inc. is proud to announce, "Hands that Build, Hearts that Hold," a special brunch celebrating 30 years of protecting the legacy of Freedmen’s Town. Join us on Saturday, Sept. 26, at the UH Alumni Center as we celebrate three decades of honoring preservation.

Sponsorship opportunities are available—help us sustain this vital history!

Stay tuned for registration details.

05/11/2026

Freedmen’s Town Museums Houston of the Rutherford B.H. Yates Museum, Inc. is seeking passionate individuals in the following volunteer roles: Docents (Storytellers) and Office Administrators. If you’re a detail-oriented and a history lover, we need you on our team.

Visit www.freedmenstownmuseums-houston.org/volunteer/

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all the women who have nurtured our community and paved the way for future generations. We celebrate the strength and love of the mothers who serve as the true foundation of our history and our homes.

05/08/2026

Did you know a funeral home was established in Freedmen’s Town? In the late 1930s, Herman L. Bradford and Milton A. Pruitt co-operated and owned a funeral home at 1303 Andrews Street at the intersection of Matthews Street. The two men would later part ways in the early 1940s. Mr. Pruitt opened a new two-story facility in the 1950s around the corner at 1219 Matthews Street.

If you want to learn more about Freedmen's town history, please book a tour of the museums today. Click the link to book a tour! www.freedmenstownmuseums-houston.org/tour-our-historic-properties/

05/06/2026

This month, we honor co-founding board member Dr. Amilcar Shabazz. For 30 years, his world-class expertise has guided the Freedmen’s Town Museums Houston of the Rutherford B.H. Yates Museum, Inc. mission. We are excited to announce his upcoming book on the printing industry. We will launch his book as part of our "Author’s Corner"© series.

05/04/2026

This June, the Freedmen’s Town Museums Houston of the Rutherford B.H. Yates Museum, Inc. is partnering with CMCHouston to present "Harmonies of Heritage." Celebrate African American Music Appreciation Month and Juneteenth through oral history panels, documentary screenings, and private tours. Join us as we honor the matriarchs who shaped Houston’s sonic history.

Save the date and stay tuned for details.

04/19/2026