The African American Museum in Dallas reopens on May 1 after temporary renovations, featuring the exhibition "People Who Make the World Go ‘Round: The Legacy of Sepia Magazine." The show highlights influential Black icons such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Maya Angelou, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Thurgood Marshall through photographs from the museum's archive of over 40,000 images. Sepia magazine, founded in Fort Worth in 1946, chronicled Black life and culture for nearly four decades, offering a Southern perspective that rivaled national publications like Ebony and Jet.
The reopening matters because it marks the museum's renewed commitment to preserving and sharing African American history through an upgraded space with enhanced galleries and technology. The exhibition draws from a significant photographic archive, underscoring the cultural importance of Sepia as a platform for Black journalism and representation. Additionally, the museum is timed to coincide with the FIFA World Cup in Dallas-Fort Worth, and will host "Mandela: The Official Exhibition" in June, linking sports, human rights, and art to attract a global audience.