St. Joseph Museums updates Civil Rights exhibit

A newly renovated Civil Rights exhibit is taking visitors from the emergence of the movement to the height of the efforts to fight for equality.

The St. Joseph Museums finished renovating its Civil Rights exhibit for Black History Month by highlighting additional figures and expanding on notable events from the era.

A timeline featured on the exhibit walls travels visitors through several national civil rights era events. 

St. Joseph Museums Board Member JD Soil made it a personal project to update the exhibit after museum leadership realized it was due for a refresh. 

“He's also on the Black Archives Committee, and he's just really excited about sharing Black history stories,” Executive Director Sara Wilson said. “And I think that he really wanted us to do justice to the Civil Rights Movement.” 

Audio clips of speeches from Civil Rights Leaders and music from Black artists play throughout the exhibit. 

“A lot of my thoughts going into this was to appeal to the youth because I don't know how much our youth is getting taught about Black history or civil rights,” Soil said. “I don't know what they’re getting taught in school. I don't know what they're getting taught at home.” 

Much of the content featured in the exhibit has remained, however, Soil felt it was his duty to expand on other prominent figures and groups from the Civil Rights era. 

“I personally added more information about Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam,” Soil said. “I added more information about the Black Panthers because I thought that was important and it was missing.” 

The timeline even returns back to St. Joseph by highlighting a local Civil Rights icon who was president of the St. Joseph NAACP chapter. 

“We also have a whole wall dedicated here to Kelsey Beshears, who did great work her whole life for the Civil Rights Movement,” Soil said. 

The exhibit was recently completed in preparation for local youth to pay a visit during Black History Month. 

“We'll have hundreds of students coming through in the next month to do tours of the Black Archives for Black History Month,” Executive Director Sara Wilson said.  

Soil said he felt relief when the exhibit was complete, and he praised the collective effort of everyone who helped make the renovation possible. 

“I think we accomplished our goals,” Soil said. “and I hope that the community appreciates it and can come by and check it out.”