The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American Historical past, celebrating its sixtieth anniversary this 12 months, stands as a cornerstone of the Black Museum motion, housing over 35,000 artifacts that chronicle the journey of African People from historical African civilizations to current day. Based on March 10, 1965—simply two days after the historic Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama—the museum was established by Dr. Charles Wright, an obstetrician who delivered over 7,000 infants whereas concurrently championing the preservation of Black historical past.
Estrella “Star” Crawford serves because the Senior Vice President and Native Market Government for Financial institution of America in Detroit, the place she directs native fiscal and market technique whereas overseeing investments that drive group and financial growth all through Michigan. Since becoming a member of the financial institution in 2004, Crawford has labored throughout a number of roles, demonstrating her dedication to the establishment’s function of empowering communities.
Crawford, who’s fluent in Spanish and holds an MBA from American InterContinental College, brings her perspective as each a Detroit resident and mom of three to her function as government sponsor for the Michigan Hispanic/Latino Group for Management and Development. Her work extends past the financial institution by way of her service on the Board of Administrators for SER Metro-Detroit, a corporation centered on eradicating obstacles to training and workforce growth.
Cedric Scott brings his experience as Director of Company Partnerships and Member Companies to the Wright Museum, the place he has efficiently elevated membership income by almost 40% by way of strategic partnerships and group engagement initiatives. His background in broadcast media and advertising and marketing has confirmed invaluable in amplifying the museum’s attain.
Previous to becoming a member of the Wright Museum, Scott served as Director of Media & Communications at Triumph Church, serving to develop its membership from 3,000 to over 35,000, making it the second largest predominantly African American congregation in the USA. His academic background features a bachelor’s diploma in promoting from the College of South Carolina and an MBA in Advertising and marketing from the College of Phoenix.
What does this partnership between Financial institution of America and the Wright Museum imply for the Detroit group?
I’m proud to say that Financial institution of America is that group that’s supporting black media. And sure, you possibly can say that as a result of we assist everybody. We assist black media, Hispanic media, all of the media. So, we’re inclusive. And we make it possible for everybody has a possibility. And so, we’re tremendous excited this 12 months to companion with the Wright Museum. We companion with them on a myriad of the way, however this 12 months just a bit bit extra particular. I’m tremendous excited to speak to you extra about that.
What does it imply to the museum to have this type of assist that opens doorways for youngsters to find out about themselves and their historical past?
I believe it actually connects to loads to the founding of the museum. We’re celebrating our sixtieth anniversary right here on the Wright Museum. We had been one of many founders of this Black Museum motion years in the past, however one of many causes that Dr. Wright based the museum was, in respect to the kids, the younger individuals. He needed them to have a house, a spot the place they will find out about their historical past, find out about who they’re, find out about their ancestors, and all of that, in order that they will make that connection again to what they want to encourage to be in order that they may know the material and the royalty that they arrive from.
Earlier than the sixties or so, we by no means had a repository or that kind of official kind of state. It was actually right here and there in a variety of totally different locations. Quite a lot of HBCUs had their very own kind of collections, fraternities and sororities had some collections and issues like that, however for the primary time there was a concerted effort made between the individuals locally and the native authorities to say that that is necessary for us to take care of this historical past and look out for his or her future as effectively. What it means now could be it’s actually centered on what Dr. Wright considered when he first based this museum. He needed to encourage the kids, and we type of have that very same missional focus proper now.
Past free admission how is Financial institution of America making arts and tradition extra accessible to underserved communities?
There’s a few other ways. We have now free admission. We’re sponsoring free second Sundays for all. That is going to be a sponsorship that may run March by way of June, however ongoing and for a few years we have now a program referred to as Museums on Us. Our Museums on Us program is de facto distinctive in the truth that we principally have sure museums nationwide the place all Financial institution of America cardholders, whether or not you’re a Merrill card holder, personal financial institution card holder, basic Financial institution of America cardholder might get into any a type of museums on the primary full weekend of the month free. With this 12 months, we’re taking it a step additional regionally right here in Detroit, and we wish to assist the Wright Museum.
At Financial institution of America, we consider that when individuals have entry to fundamental wants, secure earnings, safe housing, they’re higher positioned to thrive of their communities. And when you consider the humanities and the tradition, it’s a profound method of making empowerment. It’s only a option to foster one other holistic, wraparound method of supporting the group and financial alternative for social change. That is simply one of many ways in which we present up uniquely and in another way than different organizations, ensuring that we’re not simply speaking about budgeting and financial savings, however we’re speaking about the entire individual, not simply your cash.
How do initiatives like this strengthen group connections?
I do wish to level out one of many connections that we have now with Financial institution of America and simply to echo with Star. Financial institution of America isn’t just a flash within the pan kind of connection to the Wright Museum. They’ve been linked to the Wright Museum 20 plus years, and past. I even noticed some previous historic issues the place Financial institution of America introduced the Hewitt assortment proper right here it’s completely on the Harvey Gantt Middle in Charlotte proper now, or no matter. However we had it right here earlier, I believe, in 2006 or 2005. Years in the past, Financial institution of America has all the time actually devoted and shared a dedication to that historical past and tradition and making it actually accessible for everybody.
What it seems like on a typical second Sunday – we’d like to see Detroiters of all walks of life actually coming and benefiting from this. There are a variety of households which may be priced out for sure causes, so it’s a possibility for them. We’d like to see giant teams, coworkers and your networks with the ability to come. And likewise, we glance out for the younger individuals as a result of we’re in a state the place a variety of these faculty districts, the place historically we’d have gone on a variety of these discipline journeys, can now not afford to take children on these excursions. So, having a second Sunday, having a Museums on Us program permits us to make it possible for these younger individuals have that entry.
As we all know what’s occurring politically and with our Federal authorities, issues could also be shifting. Inflation, price of residing is rising, wages stay flat. We by no means need value to issue into individuals’s capacity to entry the tradition and the historical past that we have now right here. That is very important for us due to the work that we do. Clearly, we have now to fund it, but in addition, we wish to make it possible for individuals devour what we’re doing and join again to the mission of why we’re right here within the first place. That’s why issues like these are so necessary to us, we’re in a position to unfold the love and actually open our doorways and welcome people of all walks of life, all cultures to expertise what we have now right here on the Wright.
I simply wish to chime on this one factor in regards to the Wright for me. I’m not initially from Detroit. I’m initially from New York, and I did attend an HBCU in Atlanta, and it wasn’t till I attended Morris Brown School that I discovered the true historical past about African American historical past, and I give many shout outs to my Professor Scales. He created his e-book on his personal, and I’ll always remember. School books are like $300 a e-book. He created this and all this data, and he solely fees 10 bucks simply the price of what it was to print the e-book. And in that’s once I discovered in regards to the slave commerce, and in that’s once I discovered about how we got here to be and what actually occurred. Apart from Christopher Columbus coming, I discovered the reality, and had I not gone to that faculty, I’d by no means have identified what actually occurred to our individuals, and have an appreciation much more for the alternatives that I’ve in the present day due to what our individuals went by way of, and so once I received an opportunity to maneuver to Detroit and see the Wright Museum proper earlier than the Smithsonian. After I received an opportunity to stroll by way of the actual life. What I noticed on paper and expertise it and listen to it and really feel it. It impressed me to work more durable, it impressed me to make it possible for I deliver my children at the very least annually to remind them to always remember what our individuals went by way of for us to have the privileges and the alternatives that we have now in the present day, and to not squander that, and that for me is so necessary, and different individuals, even at Financial institution of America, once we do our black historical past month occasions and we have now our ERGs come collectively, we deliver all of our teammates collectively. For our ERGs, you don’t must be black to be a part of the black skilled group. You don’t must be Hispanic to be a part of the Hispanic group, you simply must wish to be taught in regards to the tradition. And that’s what it’s about. It’s educating individuals the tradition in order that we are able to all perceive one another and transfer ahead and getting alongside. And so, all of our teammates got here for our occasion, they usually all went by way of the Nonetheless I Rise exhibit, and so a lot of them had been like, I had no concept. It simply helps individuals to grasp. You don’t must be black to go to the African American Museum and admire it. All of us can take one thing away from that historical past. And possibly you perceive culturally, the wrestle, possibly why some individuals are a bit of extra passionate than others about sure issues. An important piece is that everybody wants that chance, and we’re taking away the excuse of price for you to have the ability to go and expertise that and perceive higher the tradition.
What can guests anticipate seeing through the Second Sunday applications?
We all the time say, we would like individuals to have the ability to interact all year long. Exhibitions may change each 3 to 4 months or so. If you happen to’re solely coming annually, you may miss out on a number of the issues which might be taking place. One of many issues that we’re actually happy with is an exhibition referred to as “Gems of the Wright Museum.” On this exhibition, we’re highlighting a number of the artifacts that we have now. We’re type of highlighting a number of the artifacts that we have now, and we nonetheless have, though we’re not the world’s largest establishment, as a result of they constructed the Smithsonian in 2017. It dropped us down a bit of bit on that record. However we nonetheless maintain the world’s largest artifact assortment of 35,000 artifacts in there. And one of many issues that we do is showcase that in by way of our Gems of the Wright Museum Exhibition, in order that’s a possibility to see that assortment and a few of what we have now on deck. Additionally, we have now different kind of exhibitions which might be there for individuals to partake.
We have now a brand-new exhibition referred to as “I, Charles Wright.” It’s one of many first occasions we’ve introduced an exhibition on our founder, Dr. Wright. Quite a lot of people don’t know that he wasn’t a health care provider of historical past or a health care provider of training. He was an OBGYN, a gynecologist. He delivered 7,000 infants. Dr. Wright, although not his material, held historical past of black individuals very near his coronary heart. We don’t wish to go away the entire historical past within the arms of simply our educators or historians to inform these tales. We wish us all to be concerned.
it’s a possibility for us to have the ability to interact in that and be taught a bit of bit extra about Dr. Wright, his mission, and likewise by way of the phrases of his daughters and people closest to him that we’ll have. I wish to point out that this second Sunday is especially particular, as a result of it’s March. March is the founding of our establishment. We had been based on March tenth, 1965, simply 2 days after Bloody Sunday. Dr. Wright was down in Selma, Alabama, serving to out with Bloody Sunday, and two days after he returned again to Detroit, and with 32 people he based the Wright Museum. He was all the time linked again to his historical past and his tradition, not simply specializing in his career.
Solely he had different situations on the market. So we’re specializing in that and type of telling a few of that story, so individuals could be a little bit extra acquainted with Dr. Wright, and what he introduced not solely to Detroit, however to the world because the Black Museum motion type of originated by way of Dr. Wright and Miss Spurros and the Desabo Museum. So we have now an opportunity to type of expertise all that. And Nonetheless We Rise is considered one of our core exhibitions that we have now. So you possibly can undergo that and type of get a journey by way of historical Africa civilization all the way in which up till current day. We have now a group day in celebration of our anniversary, in order that Group day may have type of free gallery excursions, meals vans outdoors historical past classes. We’re going to have a black love efficiency with some storytelling and spoken phrase and singing and issues like that. So it’s going to be actually celebratory weekend all of the weekend. In order that Saturday clearly, is that group day that’ll be free, after which we’re additionally presenting the free day the subsequent day for second Sunday as effectively. So the entire weekend developing goes to be free for individuals.
What different group partnerships does Financial institution of America have in Detroit?
Apart from our Museums on Us companions. I’ll simply point out just a few of our Museums on Us companions. We have now the Motown Museum, the Henry Ford Museum, Michigan Science Middle, Arab American Museum. Museums on Us. However Financial institution of America total for our efforts to influence financial mobility. We deal with fundamental wants, secure housing, earnings creation and naturally, empowering communities. What does that seem like that appears like us supporting meals and safety with Backyard Harvest and Meals Gatherers that appears like within the earnings creation house. We’re supporting Detroit Means Enterprise, Detroit Financial Progress Company, Join Detroit, Develop Detroit Younger Expertise, taking a look at SER Metro Detroit, even taking a look at NPOWER. That’s simply in our earnings creation house. After which, if you have a look at secure housing. We’re supporting, Develop Detroit. We’re supporting Nationwide Religion Homebuyers Group. There’s a myriad of organizations. And simply even within the house of empowering communities. As a result of that’s the opposite house. However there are issues that assist make this group robust. The muse of the work, the systemic insurance policies that want assist that it’s type of like if you’re constructing your own home. Nobody sees what’s behind the partitions or the concrete that holds up the home. These are issues that we have to assist, too. So that you have a look at organizations like Detroit Future Metropolis. These are only a few of the organizations that we’re supporting in that house. However we predict that if you do the work, if you assist organizations which might be on the market empowering individuals making this place a greater place that all of us thrive. All of us thrive, and that’s what we’re hoping to do in 2025.
