Permanent Exhibit

The Museum's permanent exhibit, "Doorways: A History of African Americans in Iowa", was lost in the flood of 2008.

Opened to the public in September 2003, "Doorways" offered a fascinating overview of the history of African Americans in the United States with specific focus on Iowa.

The Africa section, which opened in 2004, took visitors to West Africa, where they passed through the “Door of No Return” and entered a slave ship to experience the famous “Middle Passage” from Africa to Iowa.

Other sections included plantation life and slavery; the Abolitionist and Anti-Slavery Movement Era; the Iowa Migration and Underground Railroad Era; Civil War and Reconstruction; Military History and Church Activity. The “African Americans in Iowa” room includes sections on Arts & Entertainment; Agriculture; Athletics; Legal Aspects; Occupations and Small Business.

The AAHMCCI virtual tour is still available for visitors to experience the African American experience in Iowa. Take the AAHMCCI Virtual Tour.