The John G. Riley Center & Museum

04/14/2026

Join us on April 18 from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM for a dynamic genealogy workshop led by Dr. Juanita Gaston.

Limited spaces are available, so RSVP today! https://www.rileymuseum.org/event-details/250-years-of-presence-tracing-african-american-lives-from-1776-to-today-a-hands-on-genealogy-workshop

This interactive session will guide participants in exploring their roots, gaining a deeper understanding of where they come from, and uncovering the events and circumstances that shape unique family histories. Through hands-on research techniques and historical context, Dr. Gaston will demonstrate how tracing your ancestry can inspire, empower, and strengthen your connection to the past. Whether you are just beginning or looking to expand your research, this workshop offers valuable tools and meaningful insight into the stories that connect us across generations.

Dr. Juanita Gaston is a professional genealogist specializing in African American research, particularly in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. She is the founder of JG RootsFinders, LLC and a founding member of the Tallahassee African American Genealogical Society, with decades of experience teaching and leading genealogy workshops in the community.

PLEASE NOTE: This workshop will be held at the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee.

Join Dr. Juanita Gaston for an engaging genealogy workshop focused on tracing family history and uncovering the stories that shape our identities. This session will offer insight and tools to help you better understand your roots and connect with the historical journeys of your ancestors.

04/13/2026

Join us on April 16 for an engaging evening lecture, Choosing Sides: Black Patriots, Loyalists, and the Fight for Freedom in Revolutionary Florida, presented by Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy.

This compelling program explores the experiences, decisions, and resilience of African Americans in Revolutionary-era Florida, with meaningful connections to ancestry and the importance of tracing origins. Guests will enjoy small bites and beverages, followed by a Q&A discussion with Dr. Murphy.

Dr. Murphy is the Descendant Project Researcher at the University of Virginia and a genealogist with more than 30 years of experience. She is widely recognized for her work tracing African American ancestry and for her engaging, accessible approach to family history research, and has been featured on national platforms including CNN and the Today Show.

PLEASE NOTE: This lecture will be held at the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee.

Learn more here:

Join us for an evening at the Riley Museum as we welcome Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy for an engaging lecture titled Choosing Sides: Black Patriots, Loyalists, and the Fight for Freedom in Revolutionary Florida.

03/26/2026

Happy Archaeology Month!

Did you know that Fort Gadsden Historic Site was once home to Negro Fort, the largest Maroon community that ever existed in the present-day US?

Though the settlement was later destroyed in 1816, the remains were recently unearthed after Hurricane Michael hit Florida’s Panhandle in 2018. The discovery included a “hotshot” cannonball which was on display at the John G. Riley Center & Museum in 2025, on loan by the Prospect Bluff historic site.

03/16/2026

BGHPN continues Season 2 with a feature on preservationist Althemese Pemberton Barnes, whose work reshaped how Tallahassee, Florida, remembers its past. In 1987, through grassroots organizing and public advocacy, Barnes helped lead the restoration of Greenwood Cemetery, the city’s historic African American burial ground.

That effort soon extended to another endangered landmark: the Riley House, built in 1890 as the home of educator and civic leader John Gilmore Riley. When the house faced demolition in the 1990s, Barnes helped rally community support to save it. In 1996, the home reopened as The John G. Riley Center & Museum, preserving and sharing the region’s African American history.

In 1997, Barnes helped found the Florida African American Heritage Preservation Network (FAAHPN), linking Black museums and heritage sites across the state. In 2012, President Barack Obama appointed her to the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Board, where she advocated for federal support for preserving African American history nationwide.

In this episode, Althemese Pemberton Barnes, Executive Director Emeritus of the Riley House Museum and the FAAHPN, reflects on her journey and shares insight into what it takes to sustain grassroots preservation as a collective and lasting movement.

01/21/2026

We are almost a week out!

Join us for the exhibit opening of African Americans in Tallahassee: The World Wars and Post-War Life at the Riley Museum.

This new exhibition explores the experiences of African Americans in Tallahassee from World War I through World War II and into post-war life, highlighting military service, life on the home front, and the lasting impact of global conflict on the local community.

The evening begins at 6:00 p.m. with welcoming remarks, followed by a special guest lecture by archivist Lisa Keith-Lucas of Carrabelle’s Camp Gordon Johnston Museum. She will share compelling stories from Florida’s Panhandle that go beyond what you’ll find in the exhibit. After the program, guests are invited to enjoy a free first look at the new exhibition.

For more information on this event, follow the link below:
https://www.rileymuseum.org/event-details/exhibit-opening-african-americans-in-tallahassee-the-world-wars-and-post-war-life-1

We look forward to welcoming you for an evening of history and community.

01/13/2026

Interested in education, history, and community engagement? The Riley Museum is looking for volunteers for upcoming programs and events.

Exhibit Opening | January 29
Volunteers are needed to help welcome guests and assist with event support during the opening of our new exhibit.

Blended Lives | February 2–5 & February 9–11
Our annual Blended Lives program welcomes Leon County’s fourth-grade students to the museum for two weeks of immersive learning and living history.

If you’re interested in volunteering or would like more information, please contact [email protected].

We’d love for you to be a part of our team!

01/09/2026

A new exhibit is coming to the Riley Museum!

Opening January 29, African Americans in Tallahassee: The World Wars and Post-War Life brings forward powerful stories of courage, sacrifice, and perseverance. Through the lens of Tallahassee’s African American community, the exhibit explores how global conflict shaped lives at home and beyond and how resilience carried forward in the years after war.

Please note, the museum will be closed January 22–28 as we prepare for the opening. Information about the opening reception and special guest speaker will be released in the coming week. We look forward to sharing this exciting evening with you!

11/04/2025

Now Recruiting Interns for Spring and Fall 2026!

Looking to gain real experience in museums, community history, and cultural heritage work? The John G. Riley Center and Museum is seeking driven undergraduate and graduate students to join our team for Spring and Fall 2026. Interns will support research, collections, public history projects, and educational programs that celebrate African American history in Tallahassee.

This is an unpaid internship designed to provide meaningful hands-on learning and professional development in a museum environment and is well suited for students seeking academic credit through their university programs.

Application deadlines:
Spring 2026: December 15, 2025
Fall 2026: July 31, 2026

To apply or learn more, contact Ileana Olmos @ [email protected]

09/24/2025

Tomorrow is the day! Join us at the Riley House as we mark two remarkable milestones — the 135th anniversary of the Riley House and Mr. John G. Riley’s 168th birthday.

Our Member’s Special Meeting, Election, and Luncheon, open to both members and non-members, will feature a special artifact donation from the Most Worshipful Grand Union Lodge of Florida, Prince Hall Affiliated, followed by a delicious fish fry. Guests will also have the opportunity to view our current exhibit before it comes down in January 2026 to make way for the next exhibit in our African Americans in Tallahassee series. You don't want to miss out!

To learn more about this event, visit our website at https://www.rileymuseum.org/event-details/riley-museum-members-special-meeting-election-and-luncheon

09/11/2025

RSVP today! https://www.rileymuseum.org/events

Join us at the Riley House on Thursday, September 25th, as we celebrate two remarkable milestones—the 135th anniversary of the Riley House and what would have been Mr. John G. Riley’s 168th birthday.

The day begins with our Member’s Special Meeting, Election, and Luncheon, open to both members and non-members, featuring a special artifact donation from the Most Worshipful Grand Union Lodge of Florida, Prince Hall Affiliated, followed by a community fish fry.

That evening, we welcome historian Dr. Tom Hanchett for a talk on Rosenwald Schools and Black education in the South, highlighting the powerful legacy of community action and philanthropy that transformed opportunities for generations of African Americans.

Both events are free and open to the public. RSVP today to be part of this special day of history, learning, and celebration.