While February is formally recognized as Black History Month, theSan Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum believes Black culture should be celebrated year-round.
SAAACAM was officially incorporated in 2017 and aims to preserve and share the cultural heritage of African Americans in the San Antonio region. The museum has curated the legacies of pioneering Black San Antonio families and has collected their stories in a community-based digital archive.
As part of its mission to educate, SAAACAM is prepared to serve educators developing and adopting new African American studies curriculum. The State Board of Educationapproved the elective course standards in April 2020, making it Texas’ second statewide ethnic studies course. The first, Mexican-American studies, was approved in 2018.
Deborah Omowale Jarmon, CEO and director of SAAACAM, said the museum has reached out to education institutions across San Antonio to explain the resources available for teachers looking to develop curriculum for the new elective studies course. Jarmon is hopeful the collaboration will help students learn beyond the well-known histories of Black pioneers, including Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King.
“If you think that there are only four people that look like you that impacted American history, then how do you really feel about your place in this country?” Jarmon posed. “And that is what SAAACAM work is all about, changing that perception for that child.”
SAAACAM’s audience is not limited to adolescents and is intended for all community members. The museum will celebrate the grand opening of its newest location in La Villita the week of Mar. 4. Registration is required for social distancing. The weekend’s events will introduce two exhibits, a film series and feature one-hour long Black History River tours.
Jarmon is hopeful SAAACAM’s new location will benefit their community outreach efforts and further spur conversations and celebrations of African American history in San Antonio.
“When we understand the contributions that each other brings, then we respect each other. And that's why our history, multicultural and racial education is so important.”
TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. If you value our commitment to the highest standards of responsible journalism and are able to do so, please consider making your gift of support today.