$500,000 allocated for African museum in Miami Gardens

Funds announced by Sen. Daphne Campbell

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. ā€“ The Miami Gardens-based African Museum of Arts and Culture was awarded $500,000 in a state allocation on Thursday by Sen. Daphne Campbell, D-Miami.

The award was presented at the Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens. The city said in a statement that the allocation is a milestone toward creating the center that "is designed to be a magnet for culture, tourism and economic activity in the area."

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"I am honored to have been able to obtain funding to help establish the first African American Museum in the State of Florida. This is a great step in the right direction for our community as a whole,"Ā Campbell said. "We are empowering youth with knowledge about their past and we are also providing a needed foundation for emerging artisans and entrepreneurs to get the exposure and opportunities they need to succeed."

The 2017-2018 appropriation request was sponsored in the House by State Rep. Cynthia Stafford and supported by Sen.Ā Oscar Braynon, II.

The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners donated the land for the museum upon the request of District 1 Commissioner Barbara Jordan, the release said.

The African Museum of Arts and Culture is a planned, state of the art multipurpose facility that seeks to teach visitors about the cultural, educational, economic, and social enrichment of the citizens of Miami Gardens.

The facility will house and exhibit art and cultural artifacts, including programming, production and presentations of art, music, dance and related disciplines.