Black Archives Museum of St. Joseph

08/29/2026

Staff Artist, Heather Nelson's recreation of Coleman Hawkins at the Lyceum Theater in St. Joseph has been turned into a puzzle! We love to share the Hawkins' story and how impactful Jazz and Blues were for St. Joseph. This is limited edition so please make sure to get yours today! Open all week long, including Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5pm

08/28/2026

The excellent work in the new interactive room for our Civil Rights Exhibit is a collaboration among museum staff, Exhibits Committee, volunteers, and the Black Archives Museum! This room features hands-on activities that explore the mechanics of social and political movements in the United States. See this important exhibit the next time you visit. Open everyday from 10am to 5pm (excluding major holidays). Call ahead for information - 816-232-8471

08/25/2026

Attention researchers, genealogists, students, and life-long learners - For decades, BF Graves Funeral Home served as a cornerstone institution for Black families in St. Joseph. At a time when segregation limited access to many services, BF Graves provided dignified care, compassionate support, and a trusted presence during moments of profound grief. The records kept by the funeral home—ledgers, obituaries, service notes, correspondence, and memorial materials—capture the names, stories, and traditions of thousands of individuals whose lives contributed to the cultural, social, and economic fabric of the region. These documents are more than administrative records; they are evidence of resilience, community networks, and the ways families cared for one another in the face of systemic inequality. See our new online exhibit featuring records from the BF Graves Funeral Home at the site -

https://stjosephmuseum.wixsite.com/bf-graves-funeral--1

08/22/2026

Mount Mora Cemetery Preservation & Restoration Association invites you to re-live St. Joseph history . . .
Step into history as Voices of the Past – Celebrates America 250 returns October 1 & 2. This year’s special anniversary edition begins at the Wyeth‑Tootle Mansion before moving into the storied grounds of Mount Mora Cemetery, where actors bring St. Joseph’s past to life through powerful first‑person narratives.
Tickets are now on sale—secure your spot for an unforgettable evening honoring 250 years of American stories, resilience, and legacy.
***If you need handicap accessibility, we request that you book the first showing of either night. Handicap accessibility at the cemetery is extremely limited and not guaranteed.
Admission: only $30 each to the (nonmember) general public. Tickets for (members) of Mount Mora Cemetery Preservation & Restoration Association and/or the St. Joseph Museums, Inc. are only $27 each. To receive $3 off of the ticket price, when you register online at www.stjosephmuseum.org/events, select the “member” option. (Your membership is appreciated and will be verified.) Pre-paid reservations are required. Tours sell out early. Sorry no refunds. Voices is recommended for individuals 18 and older. Each year different stories are re told by costumed characters.
Advance tickets only St. Joseph Museums, Inc. 3406 Frederick Avenue St. Joseph, Missouri 64506 stjosephmuseum.org/events Tickets available: July 1, 2026 Call 816.232.8471 for information.. Presented by Mount Mora Cemetery Preservation & Restoration Association in cooperation with St. Joseph Museums, Inc.
All walking tours begin at the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion, 1100 Charles St. for refreshments, to meet the first living history character, and a chance to briefly tour the Mansion before boarding the Mount Mora bus. Established in 1851, Mount Mora is the oldest cemetery in our city. See www.mountmora.org & Facebook.

08/21/2026

It was the first decade of the 20th century when Booker T. Washington spoke at the Tootle Opera House in St. Joseph, MO. His visit to St. Joe was a day-long event, with luncheons and various meetings around the city, including the AME Church. At that time, the second generation of the Tootle Opera House family was living in the home that is now the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion. The principal of Bartlett Highschool (and student of Booker's) Nathaniel Bruce was seated on stage alongside Washington, Mayor Spratt, and the president of the school board. Together they discussed economic issues, country life vs. city life, and the need for industrial training.

*photo of Bartlett School was taken in 1888
More at our website - www.stjosephmuseum.org/research

08/19/2026

Black Archives Museum Committee member J.D. Soil and the Exhibits Committee have developed a brand new exhibit inside the Glore Psychiatric Museum! This experience explores the holistic and psychedelic work of Carl Jung, bringing his ideas about archetypes, dreams, and the unconscious into an engaging, multi‑sensory environment.

The exhibit also examines experimental treatments throughout the history of mental illness, tracing how evolving science, innovation, and misunderstanding shaped psychiatric care over time. Alongside these stories, visitors will encounter real hospital statistics that reveal patterns, progress, and the lived experiences behind the numbers.

Opening soon. Stay tuned for dates, previews, and behind‑the‑scenes updates as we prepare to unveil this powerful new addition to Glore.

08/18/2026

We are preparing for the Black Archives Museum Hall of Fame in February, 2027. We are seeking nominations for the Hall of Fame, which will include two living and two posthumous nominees. Please share and find the printable nomination form at the bottom of the webpage -

Explore the history, struggles and triumphs of African Americans in St. Joseph from Slavery to Civil Rights and beyond.

08/11/2026

William A. Crossland was a white Secretary of the Social Welfare Board in St. Joseph in the early 1910s, whose office was in the YMCA. Pictured is the Schneider Building, which housed the YMCA until about 1912, and stood on the SW corner of what is now Felix Street Square.

Crossland wrote a book about the working conditions of black laborers in St. Louis, which highlighted the systemic discrimination happening at the time. Crossland's book received high praise from both Booker T. Washington and cofounder of the , W.E.B Dubois. Washington sent a letter to Crossland that was published in the News-Press stating that students would soon be using his work at the Tuskegee Institute. Booker ends his letter writing, "I appreciate very much the sympathetic manner in which you have made this study. Very truly yours, Booker T. Washington."

08/08/2026

https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2026-08-07/at-this-kansas-city-museum-a-chance-discovery-is-revealing-the-names-of-enslaved-people

The names of nine people who were enslaved in Jackson County surfaced in old property records from the estate of Pony Express tycoon Alexander Majors. Now, an online database is making hundreds of records referencing enslavement easier to search — and shedding new light on slavery's deep roots in ...

08/07/2026

Charles S. L. Baker was born in , in 1859. After emancipation, Charles worked as a young person with his dad, Abraham Baker, on the United States Express Company.

Working with the wagon mechanics and technology of the day, those experiences led to the creation of Baker's most successful invention - the Friction Heater. Charles studied at Franklin College in Indiana, a private liberal arts college whose motto is “relentlessly pursue”. His Friction Heater invention was on the market by 1905.

According to this article from 1911, Charles “stands today destined to become the wealthiest black man in the world”.

You can research Charles Baker's incredible history at our research portal - https://www.stjosephmuseum.org/research