September 2026

You are cordially invited to come to the Museum for upcoming special events. Scroll down to see details of what we have planned. Also check out our social media pages for the latest happenings. Please feel free to share with family and friends.

We most gratefully acknowledge the Museum's many supporters, donors, sponsors, and volunteers without whom this work would not be possible. We also sincerely thank our visitors and program participants who make these efforts worthwhile.

Susan Maxon, Publications Editor and Emeritus Member of Museum Board of Directors

Kathleen Blake, Newsletter Editor-in-Chief and Emeritus Member of Museum Board of Directors

Dorothy (Dot) Guthrie, Museum Founder and Executive Director

DISCOVER OUR EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES!

At the African-American Museum of History and Culture at Loray Mill, learning and history go hand-in-hand! We are dedicated to providing powerful, engaging educational tools for students, parents, and educators across Gaston County and beyond.

Here is a look at what we offer to help connect literacy with legacy:

Curriculum Trunks for Educators: Packed with rich African American history materials aligned with NC learning standards, available for teachers to borrow for classroom or remote learning.

Electronic Field Trips & Virtual Learning: Interactive online activities, lesson plans, and remote learning resources spotlighting local, regional, and national Black leaders, scientists, artists, and pioneers.

Grade-Level Learning & Booklists: Tailored resources for elementary (K-5th) and young adult students, featuring curated summer reading lists and celebrated literature.

Virtual Museum Tours: Explore key museum zones, local history, and historic Gaston County achievements from anywhere!

Whether you're a teacher looking to enrich your social studies curriculum or a parent guiding your child's learning journey, we're here to support you.

WWII Uniform Traveling Exhibit on Display Until November 30

HONORING HEROES & HISTORY! 🎖️🇺🇸

We are hitting rewind back to June 20th—a deeply moving, proud, and historic evening at the museum as we officially unveiled the WWII Uniform Traveling Exhibit: Commemorating the Service and Sacrifice of African American Soldiers.

The opening night was filled with incredible energy, reverence, and community fellowship. We want to thank everyone who joined us to honor the brave individuals who fought so courageously for freedom abroad while facing immense adversity right here at home. Seeing the community engage with these powerful displays was a beautiful reminder of why we do this work.

COME EXPERIENCE THE EXHIBIT!

If you missed the opening night, you still have plenty of time to experience this extraordinary tribute in person. Bring your family, your neighbors, and your youth to explore, examine, and connect with this vital piece of American history.

On Display Until: November 30th

Location: 300 South Firestone Street, Suite P, Gastonia, NC (Inside the historic Loray Mill)

Museum Hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

For More Information: 980-888-4005

Let's continue to honor their sacrifice and keep their history alive!

SAVE THE DATE!

Celebrate National Authors Day on Sunday, November 1, 2026 @ 2:00 PM

Join us as we celebrate National Authors Day with regionally renowned author Rudolph Young!

In partnership with the Oakawn African Heritage Center (Lincolnton, NC), we invite you to an inspiring afternoon honoring powerful storytelling, history, and literature.

Sunday, November 1, 2026 @ 2:00 PM

Location: The African American Museum of History and Culture at Loray Mill

300 South Firestone Street, Suite P, Gastonia, NC 28052

Admission: FREE

Mark your calendar, invite a friend, and come celebrate our rich culture and authors! We can’t wait to see you there.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

DONATION HONORING the LEGACY of RUTH ALEXANDER McDOWELL

We are proud to share that the African American Museum of History and Culture at Loray Mill has received a special addition to our collection: a 1937 Hammond Model A Console organ that once belonged to Ruth Alexander McDowell, a beloved educator and respected member of the historic Lincoln Academy community in Kings Mountain.

Mrs. McDowell and her husband, the Rev. Dr. Henry Curtis McDowell, served as missionaries in Angola, West Africa, for 12 years, where she founded a health clinic for mothers and children. She also served as a public school teacher in Gaston and Cleveland Counties, an ecumenical leader, and a dedicated advocate for education and community service.

Visit the museum to see this extraordinary piece of music history and honor the legacy of Mrs. Ruth McDowell.

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY!

We are thrilled to share that several members of our museum family were honored at the Gastonia Branch NAACP Annual Freedom Fund Gala for their outstanding leadership and service!

Please join us in congratulating:

Samuel & Bernetta Gregory (Museum Advisory Board Members)

Recipients of the Ronald Phillips Community Champions Award for their dedication, leadership, and community service.

Leah Brooks

Recipient of the Outstanding Youth Award celebrating her inspiring accomplishments and commitment to excellence.

Mamie Chisholm (Museum Board Member)

Recipient of the Jennifer Davis Award for Excellence and Commitment to Education.

We are so proud of each of you and deeply grateful for the powerful impact you make every single day.

BLACK MUSIC MONTH FUNDRAISER

Take a look back at some wonderful moments from our Black Music Month Fundraiser held on June 20th!

We want to extend our deepest, most sincere gratitude to everyone who came out, donated, and supported this fundraiser. Your incredible generosity directly helps us preserve our rich local history, honor our musical pioneers, and keep the culture alive right here in Gastonia.

Swipe through the photos to look back at the amazing energy, community love, and fellowship from that beautiful evening. Thank you for standing with us and supporting our mission!

SOME OF THE MUSEUM'S SUMMER VISITORS

We had the absolute pleasure of hosting a several groups of young learners this summer!

Students from the Stellie Jackson Enrichment Center, Clover, South Carolina spent an unforgettable day diving into the rich legacy, culture, and stories preserved within our walls. From exploring our municipal history displays to asking incredible questions, these brilliant students brought so much energy and curiosity to the museum.

A massive thank you to the educators, staff, and youth from the Stellie Jackson Center for making the trip across the state line to visit us!

What a pleasure it was to welcome the wonderful children and staff from the **KinderCare Learning Center** right here to the museum. It is never too early to introduce our youngest generation to the beauty, richness, and resilience of our history. Our little guests spent the day exploring the exhibits, engaging with interactive stories, and asking some of the most brilliant questions. Seeing their faces light up as they connected with the culture was the absolute highlight of our week! Thank you to KinderCare for bringing your amazing students to visit us!

We had an incredible day hosting student enrollment for the wonderful A.S.P.I.R.E. Summer Reading Program! It was an absolute joy welcoming these bright young minds, eager readers, and their families to the museum. There is nothing better than connecting literacy with legacy, and we loved giving these future leaders a space to explore, engage, and get inspired as they kick off their summer reading journey. Thank you to the coordinators, parents, and students for spending your enrollment day with us!

At the museum, passing the torch to the next generation is at the heart of everything we do. We love helping to inspire the future leaders of tomorrow!

African America 250

“These Are The Times That Try Men’s Souls”

-Thomas Paine, in his 1776 Pamphlet Series, “The American Crisis”

How appropriate and on time is the above message for such a time of chaotic realities: constant “confusions, wars and human destructions, disarray, unpredictability, messy disorder, turbulence” and more in the United States of America and the world!

In this period of life, locally, nationally, internationally around the world, citizens are “struggling consistently and humbly to survive,” while trying to have freedom of expressions, kindness, and respect, coupled with independence and community productivity daily and successfully.

Regardless of challenges and interruptions worldwide, including Gaston County, citizens shall and must overcome obstacles, and succeed because of and with the determination, positive attitudes and behaviors, consistent efforts and service to and for themselves and all mankind! BRAVO!

Read! Absorb!

African American Willing Servants!

• Hiram Rhodes Revels, an African American born September 27, 1826 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, was “an American minister, educator and politician who made history in 1870 and 1871 as the first African American to serve in the United States Congress.” He died January 16, 1901.

• George Washington Murray was born “into slavery on September 22, 1853 and served in the House of Representatives, representing South Carolina from 1893 to 1895 and 1896 to 1897.” He was “notably the only Black member of Congress during his term,” and “died April 21, 1926 in Chicago, at the age of 72.”

• Constance B. Motley was born September 14, 1921 in New Haven, Connecticut. She was the “first Black woman to become a Federal Judge.” Constance Motley “served as Chief Judge from 1982 to 1986.” She died “of a heart attack on September 28, 2005, two weeks after her 84th birthday.”

• Donna Christensen, MD was born on September 19, 1945, and is an African American Physician and Politician and “recognized as the first female doctor elected to Congress.”

———-

Epilogue- A Poem

“Overcoming Evil With Good”

You cannot fight the dark with dark,

Or fan a flame with bitter spark.

When wrong is dealt and hurts run deep,

And tears of anger break your sleep,

The call is high, the path is thin:

To let God’s quiet grace begin.

Rise up above the vengeful slight,

And meet the shadow with the light.

Feed the hungry, soothe pain,

For goodness holds a fiercer might,

That turns the darkness wrong to right.

--Writer Unknown

Written by

Kathleen S. Blake, Newsletter Editor-in-Chief and Emeritus Member of Museum Board of Directors

Support the Museum with

Your Tax-Deductible Donations

The African American Museum of History and Culture at Loray Mill is an approved 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We encourage monetary donations, documents, and artifacts that promote Black life, history, and culture at the local, regional, and national level. Your generous gift will help to support the children, young adults, and adults programming, special exhibits, and displays offered by the museum.

Please consider making a donation today. Together, we keep the legacy alive.

Donations may be made online at https://africanamericanmuseumgastonia.com/donate/

Or you may mail your donations to:
African American Museum of History and Culture at Loray Mill
300 S. Firestone St., Suite P
Gastonia, NC 28052