City: Cincinnati, OH

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (937) 376-4944

Address: 1350 Brush Row Road

Description: The National Afro-American Museum, a gleaming glass-and-stone structure, houses some 10,000 square feet of exhibits. A permanent exhibit is the centerpiece of the museum: From Victory to Freedom: African-American Life in the Fifties tracks the changes for the post–World War II generation. A 25-foot-high photo mural surrounds the exhibition hall, while multiple displays relate how African Americans slowly made inroads across all aspects of society, from religion and baseball to jobs and voting. There are re-creations of a small-town front porch, a kitchen complete with Crosley and Philco appliances, a chapel, even a barbershop called Whaley’s transplanted from Columbus (“haircuts $1.50”).A ’57 Chevy reminds viewers that there was a black middle class and a baby boom in the 1950s. The Chevy, which still runs, was chosen after museum researchers discovered the year and make was the most popular new auto purchase in America’s black community during the 1950s. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is $4.00 for adults, $1.50 for students.