Our Story
The Thankful Heritage Museum was founded by the esteemed Effley Howell. He who began collecting and sharing artifacts in his youth with a vision to preserve and teach African American history. What started as a personal collection has grown into a nonprofit traveling museum that has reached thousands of people over three decades in the North Carolina region.
From its earliest days, Thankful Heritage has been a museum without walls, setting up in classrooms, community centers, and cultural gatherings. Over the years, the museum’s collection has expanded to include historical documents, and artifacts, photographs, books and magazines, everyday household items, tools, art, media and memorabilia that tell a fuller story of Black History in the United States.
For more than 30 years, the mission has remained the same: to educate, inspire, and keep African American history alive for the next generation.
Read more about our Museum History, Mission and Services in this Statement from the CEO.