African American Civil War Museum Reopens After Major Renovation, Honoring 209,145 Soldiers

On a warm September morning, beneath bright sun that illuminated the 209,145 names on the African American Civil War Memorial Wall of Honor, the African American Civil War Museum reopened after a five-year redevelopment delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and budget challenges. About 100 people gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Washington, D.C.'s historic U Street Corridor.

Frank Smith Jr., the museum's founding director, addressed descendants of the Black soldiers who served in the Civil War and praised those who preserved the collection through decades. 'They kept the stories, they kept the photographs, they kept the love letters, and they kept the heritage alive,' he said, pointing to the artifacts now on public display.

The museum occupies the newly renovated Grimke School, a 130-year-old building that served Black students after the Civil War. Visitors can now see documents, drum sets, rifles and other material culture from the era inside restored galleries.

Main Exhibits and Highlights

The centerpiece exhibit, "Glorious March to Liberty: Civil War to Civil Rights," traces African American soldiers' service in the Civil War and connects those sacrifices to the later Civil Rights Movement. A "Men of Honor" display highlights Medal of Honor recipients, including William Harvey Carney. At the front of the building stands a six-foot bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln depicted signing the Emancipation Proclamation.

A look inside the newly renovated African American Civil War Museum. Phil Lewis/HuffPost

Although the museum has existed for nearly three decades, the renovation introduces new galleries, including an exhibit that highlights the enslaved ancestors of former first lady Michelle Obama. The display details the wartime experiences of her great-great-grandfather, Caesar Cohen, and Jerry Sutton, the stepfather of her great-grandmother—both of whom served in the United States Colored Troops.

Funding, Community Role, and Call to Action

The African American Civil War Museum is a private nonprofit and is not part of the Smithsonian Institution. The District of Columbia, led by Mayor Muriel Bowser, contributed public funds to the renovation, while a committee of supporters raised roughly $500,000 in private donations to complete the project, Smith said. The museum's board also pursued grants and partnerships to make the refurbishment possible.

"People should look at this museum as a place of our own," Smith said, urging community members to support the institution not only with donations but also with volunteer time. "Just as important as money is time. If I can have someone volunteer for four hours, that will save us a lot of money."

Vedet Coleman-Robinson, president and CEO of the Association of African American Museums, praised the reopening as evidence of the museum's resilience at a time when many cultural institutions face closures and funding pressures.

Context and Importance

Speakers at the reopening linked the museum's mission to broader efforts to preserve and interpret Black history. Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau noted the civic significance of honoring the service and sacrifice of African American soldiers: 'Our country wouldn't exist today if it were not for these soldiers.'

Smith, a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement and a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, warned of ongoing challenges to preserving African American history in public collections and institutions. Organizers and supporters hope the renovated museum will serve both as a repository for historical artifacts and as a lively community resource—inviting visitors, volunteers and donors to help preserve and share these stories.