Fort Worth's Black History Museum Is Out Of Space, Needs Millions For New Facility

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – The Lenora Rolla Heritage Center Museum run by the Tarrant County Black Historical Genealogical Society is a two-story restored house on Fort Worth's Southside.

It has four main rooms for displays and exhibit, and is a far cry from the larger more modern museums in the city.

The museum has outgrown the space and now the administrators are hoping to start an "all hands on deck" campaign to raise money for a new, modern museum.

Brenda Sanders-Wise, the curator and the head of the Tarrant County Black Historical Genealogical Society, said their space has become so congested they have to hide certain exhibits just to display new ones on top.

"We have over 200 boxes that are at the library central library downtown sitting in a basement," she said.

The museum is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays and draws funding from donors, members and a stipend from Tarrant County which they use to help cover operating costs.

Sanders-Wise said the kind of museum they want could cost about $5 million, but so far they have had very little help or interest from the community.

"We need the same people that donate to Amon Carter, to the Kimball, to the Museum of Science and History to take an interest in this place."

Sanders-Wise said there is so much more black history to display, but they simply don't have the room.

"We want everyone to know the history that blacks have contributed to the city of Fort Worth," she said.