MTCC Collection Not Lost in Fire but Artifacts Still Needed
Mosaic Templars Cultural Center's collections will focus on the Mosaic Templars organization and Arkansas's African American community in an effort to inform and educate the public about black achievement especially in business, politics, and the arts. The Center's collection will assist in the interpretation and preservation of the heritage and culture of Arkansas's African American community. Items may include, but are not limited to the categories of art, political history, economic history, social and cultural practices, and the production and use of materials used in daily living.
The collecting period extends from 1870 to present day. Collections policy allows for the acquisition of ephemera and items associated with the evolving story of the Mosaic Templars of America, the Ninth Street black business vanguard, and the larger African American community in Arkansas.
The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center's collection was not housed in the building when it was destroyed by fire. However, the MTCC is still in need of artifacts including documents, photographs, and three-dimensional objects related to the Mosaic Templars of America organization, Arkansas's African American history, and West Ninth Street. If you have any artifacts you would like to share with us, please contact Assistant Director and Curator, Heather Register at 501.683.3615 or via email at heather@arkansasheritage.org.
Mosaic Templars Will Come To You!
The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center will offer educational programs to school groups and adult groups. While the Cultural Center is under construction, staff members will visit classrooms, churches, or other meeting places to share the Cultural Center's programs and materials. Programs on Arkansas's African American culture and life, the Mosaic Templars of America, and African American entrepreneurship in Little Rock are available to groups free of charge. Please call us today at 501.683.3593 or write us via email at info@mosaictemplarscenter.com to schedule a presentation.
Once the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is open to the public, the Center's staff will provide educational and public programs to visitors. School groups from around the state will be able to visit the Center for in-house educational programs and tours. Public programs, including forums, lecture series, and entertainment events, will be held at the Center and accessible to people of all ages.