Hidden History Museum opening & American Maroon Film Screening on Feb. 25th, 2023- Preview, Info

Opening of The United States First Museum of Untold Black History, The Hidden

History Museum, in South Los Angeles

SOUTH LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (February 6, 2023)– This country’s first museum of
untold Black History is opening its doors on February 25th, 2023, at 4 pm. The Hidden History
Museum is located on Jefferson Boulevard near Crenshaw Boulevard in South Los Angeles.
The Hidden History Museum was created to show notable Black individuals' hidden and
unknown history from John Horse and the Black Seminoles to Black inventors like Lewis
Latimere. This museum is the first of its kind and is presented by the Melanoid Nation
Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles. They are the only museum to
feature a section on the History of West Coast Hip Hop. The project is led by Tariq Nasheed, a
filmmaker who has produced top-selling documentaries such as the Hidden Colors documentary
series.
Grassroots support is a large part of the museum’s success in kicking off the ground. Tariq had
a gut feeling that he needed to open a museum dedicated to the less-heard stories of Black
luminaries. “I had a random epiphany while driving down Crenshaw Bl. Something told me to
open a museum in the area,” says Tariq. Tariq started a crowdfunding campaign and, in just
one month, was able to surpass his goal and raise over 1.18 million dollars. Because of
people’s interest in hearing stories told far too little, the Hidden History Museum is opening its
doors.
Hidden History Museum is situated in the cultural epicenter of Black Los Angeles. Located in
Jefferson Park, this area has Black history rooted throughout. “Biddy Mason, who we feature
prominently in the museum, was an enslaved woman who got her freedom in Los Angeles and
subsequently became one of the wealthiest women in California. The church she helped
establish-First, AME- is the oldest Black church in Los Angeles, and the current location of the
church is in Jefferson Park. The Black man who designed the modern version of the church was
Paul Revere Williams, who also designed many significant buildings and structures around Los
Angeles. For me, being able to uncover some of those rich legacies is important.”
The museum holds great significance for the community and its founders. They hope to not only
tell the unspoken history of global Black revolutionaries but also revitalize the businesses
around the Crenshaw area and promote other companies around the country. The goal of this
museum is to serve as a safe space for the community and expand as much as possible.
The museum's opening will begin at 4 pm on February 25th and will include dinner, a
documentary screening of the film American Maroon, and a night of mixing and socializing. For
more information on the Hidden History Museum, visit their website at https://hiddenhistorymuseum.com/