Where’s Sheryl? Visiting the Domini Hoskins Black History Museum & Learning Center
Guest Post by Sheryl Young, PVF’s San Mateo County Program Director
Carolyn Hoskins, Founder, Executive Director and Curator of the Domini Hoskins History Museum and Learning Center, a remarkable and beloved leader of our community, greeted me at the door with a smile.
She explained that she named the center after her grandson who asked “Weren’t there any other black people that did anything other than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr?”
Walking into the center, a smaller version of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (established by Congress in 2003 and opened to the public in 2016), is rich with African American art, history, artifacts, memorabilia, books, musical and video recording – a learning lab in our own backyard! The San Mateo County Event Center has provided a pop-up exhibit space as part of the County Fair each summer since 2011. However, after acquiring more space at the former Cost Plus World Market in Redwood City, Carolyn was able to display her entire collection for Black History Month in February (and extended into March). During the rest of the year, she travels to schools throughout the County to provide and educational experience to boost cultural literacy.
Did you know that the Capital was designed by Benjamin Banneker and the White House built by slaves? Do you know who invented the typewriter, refrigerator, mouse traps, peanut butter, overshoe, wagons, or potato chips? If not, go visit the Learning Center (or also ask any of the Peninsula Boys and Girls Club kids who were just there)!
The Learning Lab is a dream come true for any sports fan with photos and posters of local and national basketball, football, Olympic and tennis players. The new display of incredible stories of influential women to recognize Women’s History Month is inspiring. The music section will get you dancing! The unknown or forgotten history and contributions of Black Americans come alive in this Learning Center.
PVF is proud to be a partner and supporter of Carolyn and the Domini Hoskins Black History Museum & Learning Center. This is a display that everyone must put on their list of things to see!
