South Seattle pop-up museum highlights the importance of Black history

SEATTLE - As we celebrate Black History Month, a South Seattle community radio station turned a historic theater into a pop-up museum to highlight the importance of Black history, both locally and nationally.

Rainier Avenue Radio decided to transform the Columbia City Theater to honor the rich history of the region's African American community.

Organizers say it's a call to conscience.

"When you come into this museum, you will hopefully see a little bit of yourself, members of your community, and definitely the contributions of African Americans locally, and a lot of instances nationally and even internationally," said Tony Benton, owner and curator of the museum.

You can expect more than a dozen exhibits and installations at the venue.

"We have an exhibit by the Black Panther Party, a lot of folks don't know Seattle had a Negro League baseball team, Nastymix Records, it's from Seattle, they have an exhibit here as well as the Total Experience Gospel Choir," Benton said.

Benton also has a display of his personal collection of vintage Black movie posters.

"This building that we're in used to be the Rainier Cinema, it was the only place where you could watch what we call, ‘Black and Kung Fu movies,’" Benton said.

Rainier Avenue Radio's mission has always been to engage the community with critical issues and compelling stories, so taking on this project was a natural fit.

"I just feel compelled to share information that's available information that I have with our community. I'm sure that you've heard before, if you don't know your history, it makes it difficult to go forward," Benton said.

While the museum is only temporary, organizers say they hope its impact will be everlasting.

"The greatest joy comes from after people have taken the tour and they have seen themselves, and they've seen things their grandparents maybe have talked about and the realization that we have contributed, not only to the local narrative, but to the regional narrative and the national narrative as well. Folks who are from this city, and it instills a sense of pride," Benton said.

This pop-up museum will be open through the end of the month and it's open every day except Monday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

It's a guided tour at the top of every hour. For tickets and more information, click here.