DELRAY BEACH — The Spady Cultural Heritage Museum is a non-profit organization in the historic West Settlers District of Delray Beach, at 170 NW Fifth Ave.
The only museum of its kind in Palm Beach County, Spady is dedicated to discovering, collecting and sharing the African-American history and heritage of Florida.
Located in the former home of the late Solomon D. Spady, the most prominent African-American educator and community leader in Delray Beach from 1922 to 1957, the museum opened in July 2001 and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
It has become a destination for people of all cultures seeking information about Florida’s early black communities and culture. The museum exhibits a series of shows, highlighting the talents and influences of African Americans, Caribbean Americans and Haitian Americans.
Shows ranging from handmade quilts to photographs from the Civil Rights Movement have adorned the Spady Museum. In addition, through its Kids Cultural Club, Trolley Tours, special events, annual Living Heritage Day and guest lecture series, the museum has moved beyond Delray Beach, reaching statewide and regional audiences.
Currently, the museum is showcasing A Journey Through Africa: Masks, Music, and Warriors working jointly with the Creative City Collaborative and the Delray Beach Public Library.
A Journey Through Africa presents a selection of African ceremonial masks and sculptures, musical instruments, tools and some functional objects made in a variety of media, including wood and cast metals, on loan from the collection of Lynn University in Boca Raton.
Different elements of the collection represent works of 14 tribal groups from nine geographic regions of Sub-Saharan Africa.
A Journey Through Africa will be on display concurrently at the Spady Museum and the Delray Beach Public Library, 100 W. Atlantic Avenue (www.delraylibrary.org) through March 24.
Through its Kids Cultural Club, Spady conducts community outreach programs for young people. Its newly renovated clubhouse, just adjacent to the museum, will open to the public early this year.
It has also produced two documentaries, Colored Town and African American Neighborhoods of Old Delray Beach, that are available to the community.
For more information about the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, visit the museum, located one and a half blocks north of Atlantic Avenue, visit www.spadymuseum.org or call 561-279-8883.
The Spady Museum’s Community and Cultural Partners include:
• Community Redevelopment Agency of Delray Beach, www.delraycra.org
• The city of Delray Beach: www.mydelraybeach.org
• The Florida African-American Heritage Preservation Network: faahpn.com/faaphn/
• Florida Atlantic University: proteus.fau.edu/raceandchange/
• Creative City Collaborative: http://delraybeacharts.org/
This feature was provided by the Spady Museum.
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