Founder of South Jersey museum showcasing Black artists for over 20 years

NEWTONVILLE, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Ralph Hunter, Sr. opened the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey in 2002, with a mission in mind.

"To let folks know the contributions that African Americans have made in the past 500 years," says Hunter, who's both the founder and the president of the museum.

The original museum is in Newtonville, New Jersey, housed inside of the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center. The second location of the museum opened ten years ago in Atlantic City.

Most of the items that now make up the museum came from Hunter's personal collection.

"I spent the past 45 years gathering this great collection of African American memorabilia," he says.

Hunter says he looks for certain items in his travels, specifically, "all things that kind of looked at Black people in a negative fashion." He says he did that intentionally so that he could "own the stereotypes."

"We're so proud of this collection," says Hunter. "We're using it to teach, to let folks know how African Americans were marginalized."

And he's still collecting items. His permanent collection includes everything from paintings to carvings and statues, including a collection of Shona stones that were donated to the museum.

He says the museum has "everything you can think of imaginable." There is a large mask on display from Africa that Hunter says "actually has 100 masks carved inside of it."

Hunter says he enjoys explaining art to visitors, because "great artists hide things in their work."

"That's what good art is," he says.

Along with the mission, Hunter also had a vision for the museum.

"We're an incubator for young artists getting started," he says.

Every few months, he says he rotates exhibitions, so visitors have an opportunity to see something different every time they come to the museum. Currently, there are works on display from an artist from Sierra Leone.

"These young boys are walking, embracing," he says. "An amazing piece."

There is also an exhibition called Jersey Girls, with works on display from ten female artists.

"They happen to all be African American and people of color," he says. "They want to have the opportunity to showcase at a museum that has a great following."

Among the artists, Kandice Fields, who's been showing her work at the museum for two decades. Hunter says she had her very first art show at the museum when she was about 16 years old and now, "she has her own printmaking business in Vineland, New Jersey."

He says he hopes more people will start following and investing in African American artists.

"Feast your eyes on works of art for tomorrow," he says.

For more information:

African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey - https://www.aahmsnj.org/

The Art of Sahr Mortatay Songu-Mbriwa, artist from Sierra Leone - https://www.aahmsnj.org/event/the-art-of-sahr-mortatay-songu-mbriwa/

Jersey Girls - https://www.aahmsnj.org/event/exhibit-jersey-girls/

African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey
661 Jackson Road
Newtonville, New Jersey 08346