Museum carries King’s vision of unity through history

In the heart of North Minneapolis, across from the Urban League Twin Cities, stands the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery (MAAHMG), a cultural archive and community gathering space rooted in preservation, connection and truth-telling.

For many visitors, especially young people, it’s the first time they encounter the full scope of Black history in Minnesota. The museum highlights a legacy that stretches back to the 1800s and weaves through generations of struggle, courage and community building.

For Coventry Cowens, co-founder of MAAHMG, the museum represents far more than displaying artifacts or art. It embodies a collective commitment to unity, shared identity and healing; principles that echo Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of the beloved community.

“I think it’s all about Dr. King’s vision,” Cowens said. “That we should know our history in order to move forward, in order to build better unity with our own community and the broader community.”

Cowens said that although Black communities come from different regions and backgrounds, their histories reflect common threads. Understanding that shared past, she notes, is key to building what Dr. King described as “a community at peace with itself.”

“Each of us are from different parts, but all of us have something in those parts that are basically similar to how we got here,” she said.

One of the museum’s core goals is ensuring that people, especially students, understand that Black history is deeply intertwined with Minnesota’s development. Cowens said many visitors who arrive unaware of this history leave transformed.

“In many ways, it is a shared identity, knowing who we are,” she said. “What our ancestors did to get this far and our history is so key to how we think about ourselves.”

She regularly sees school groups enter the museum with little knowledge of African American history in Minnesota, dating back to the 1800s. By the time they leave, she said, their sense of self has shifted.

“They have a different view of their history and maybe of themselves,” Cowens said. “That’s what this is about. It makes us stronger as individuals, and we’re able to connect with each other, which gets us to having more unity.”

For many, MAAHMG is more than a museum. It’s a cultural hub, a welcoming place where people can learn not only about history, but about one another.

“It is a space that people can come to,” Cowens said. “And people always leave with a sense of being emboldened in their own history… that they have a history.”

Cowens noted that many Black Minnesotans, including more recent migrants, have not always seen themselves reflected in the state’s historical narratives. The museum helps fill that void.

“Some people don’t think of themselves as having a history,” she said. “This is a space we’ve established to allow people to embrace more about themselves, their history and their ancestors.”

MAAHMG also serves as a bridge for the broader community, helping Minnesotans of all backgrounds understand that Black history is American history.

“You can’t change that,” Cowens said. “We work really hard to tell the story of this heritage.”

Dr. King believed that knowing the past was essential to building justice. MAAHMG carries that belief forward not only through historical education, but also through art, something Cowens describes as deeply healing.

“Dr. King is right that history is foundational to anything that we do,” she said. “We need to know where we’ve come from in order to move forward. We don’t want to make the same mistakes again.”

She said she sees healing happening inside the museum every day.

“What we’ve done here is create history as well as art, which can be very healing,” Cowens said. “I’ve seen so many different reactions to just this exhibit as people take it in and identify with it.”

Visitors often discover stories they never knew: stories of Black farmers, business owners, innovators and families who helped shape Minnesota long before the Civil Rights Movement. Those realizations, Cowens said, spark validation and a sense of grounding.

“Yes, we are a part of this state. We are a part of this country,” she said. “Knowing your history is healing to the soul, and knowing who you are makes you stronger.”

Cowens emphasized that MAAHMG is a space for everyone, not just African Americans.

“When I say community, I mean not just African American, not just African, but also the broader community,” she said.

She believes the museum can be a “beginning,” a place where visitors start the process of learning about themselves and each other.

“History, art, culture… we offer that,” Cowens said. “We’re a starting place for everybody who comes here to know more about themselves and their history.”

At a time when division can feel easier than connection, MAAHMG stands as a reminder that unity begins with understanding one another’s stories.

For more information, visit www.maahmg.org.

Lizzy Nyoike is a Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication student.