America's Black Holocaust Museum

America's Black Holocaust Museum

America’s Black Holocaust Museum was founded in 1984 in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin storefront by Dr. James Cameron, the only known survivor of a lynching. In 1988 Cameron acquired a spacious free-standing building, where the he expanded ABHM’s exhibits and employed staff.

The museum attracted many local, national, and international visitors. Many took guided tours led by “griots” (docents) who interpreted the exhibits and facilitated dialog. The museum is the only memorial dedicated specifically to the victims of the enslavement of Africans in the United States.

Dr. Cameron also spoke daily with most visitors about his survival experience – making for a very special encounter with living history. His passing in 2006 combined with the country’s economic downturn forced the museum to give up its building in 2008.

On February 25, 2012, ABHM came back to life as a unique, cutting-edge, interactive, virtual museum. This 21st century, cost-effective format makes ABHM available to people around the world who would otherwise have no access to its information and resources. ABHM also installs temporary physical exhibits in public venues around the Greater Milwaukee area.

Scholar-griots from around the world curate online exhibits for ABHM. The virtual museum regularly adds new exhibits, including Breaking News (our look at history in the making) every week.

Future plans for ABHM online include: a gift shop/fine art gallery and lesson plans and other resources for educators.

Location

 401 W North Ave,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
USA

Getting There

The museum is accessible by public transportation. Bus routes 21, 22, and 57 have stops nearby. Additionally, the museum is a short walk from the Milwaukee County Transit System's Green Line, which has a stop at North and Humboldt.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Wisconsin that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.