Community Corner
Canton Library Hosts Black History Mobile Museum
This former Social Studies teacher has what could be the most extensive collection of artifacts in the state, relating to black history.
A collection that took 28 years to build will be on display at Canton Public Library.
Khalid el-Hakim is bringing his Black History 101 Mobile Museum to CPL on Tuesday, June 11, from noon-6:00 PM, after which he will share a talk on Black history. The former social studies teacher noticed that textbooks on this topic were inadequate for students’ lessons so over 28 years, he dove deeper and picked up a vast array of items related to Black history.
Patrons will browse through a rich collection of artifacts from the slave trade era to modern times. What really stands out among the objects is their scope. El-Hakim, who worked as a manager/booking agent in the hip hop industry, owns everything from slave shackles to Ku Klux
Klan memorabilia to iconic hip-hop albums, providing a unique experience for each viewer. Though he doesn’t bring all 7,000 of his rare pieces, the span of selections is bound to resonate with people of all ages, colors and backgrounds.
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“This is such a unique display that we are happy to bring to our community. Hopefully, it will provide an opportunity to view all of African-American history completely and inclusively, in a way people have not been exposed to it before,” says Program Librarian Laura Fawcett.
The Canton Public Library is located at 1200 S. Canton Center Road in Canton.
Visit www.cantonpl.org or call 734-397-0999 for library information. To learn more about the mobile museum, head to www.blackhistorymobilemuseum.com.