DuSable Museum of African American History
Long known simply as the DuSable Museum, this South Side institution now goes by the name DuSable Black History Museum & Education Center. It stands on East 56th Place in Chicago, IL, about 4.9 miles off the old road. Founded in 1961 by a group of Chicagoans including artist and teacher Margaret Taylor-Burroughs, it studies and preserves Black history, art and culture, and it is a meaningful stop at the start of Route 66.
What it is
The museum collects, cares for and presents the history, art and culture of African Americans, and it works as both a museum and an education center. Its name honors Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, an early figure in Chicago's history.
The museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, which links it with the national museum network.
A bit of history
The museum dates to February 16, 1961. Margaret Taylor-Burroughs and her husband, Charles Burroughs, were among the founders, together with Bernard Goss, Eugene Feldman, Marian M. Hadley, Gerard Lew and others. They started it because, at the time, most museums and universities paid little attention to Black culture, and they wanted a place that would celebrate it.
For decades the institution carried a name built around the phrase African American History, and many people still know it by that older title. Today it uses the longer name DuSable Black History Museum & Education Center, which puts its teaching role alongside its collections.
Visiting tips
The museum has parking and welcomes children. Allow one to two hours, more if an education program is running. It is close to the University of Chicago, and several other museums are nearby: the Smart Museum of Art and the Renaissance Society are each about 0.4 mile away, and the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures is about 0.5 mile away. EV charging is about 0.3 mile away.
Practical info
- Address
- 740 East 56th Place, Chicago, IL 60637
- Phone
- +1 773-947-0600
- Website
- dusablemuseum.org
- Hours
- Wed–Sun 11–4
- On site & nearby
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
Where to eat nearby
All diners on Route 66 →
On the map
Full mapDuSable Museum of African American History with the 6 closest stops and a place to eat (fork and knife). Tap a marker for details.
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Nearby stops
All of Illinois.jpg/500px-University_of_Chicago_July_2013_48_(Smart_Museum).jpg)
0.4 mi from DuSable Museum of African American History
0.4 mi from DuSable Museum of African American History
0.5 mi from DuSable Museum of African American History
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1.2 mi from DuSable Museum of African American History
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1.3 mi from DuSable Museum of African American History
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1.3 mi from DuSable Museum of African American History
Questions
Who founded the DuSable Museum?
Margaret Taylor-Burroughs and her husband, Charles Burroughs, founded it in 1961 together with Bernard Goss, Eugene Feldman, Marian M. Hadley, Gerard Lew and others.
Is the DuSable Museum connected to the Smithsonian?
Yes. It is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.
Own or run DuSable Museum of African American History? Send us a photo or a correction.