Amherstburg Freedom Museum Celebrates 40th Anniversary

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Amherstburg’s town sign is shown in this windsoriteDOTca file photo (Owen Wolter/windsoriteDOTca News)

The Amherstburg Freedom Museum is celebrating their 40th birthday.

The museum was established in 1975, founded by Melvin (Mac) Simpson, and built on a foundation of rich local black heritage, positive development of the Black community and the aspiration to educate and share the journey, challenges and successes with everyone.

The Museum includes the national historic Nazrey African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Taylor Log Cabin, a 19th century home containing artifacts which display life of the time and the Museum Complex which contains rotating travelling exhibits as well as the permanent exhibit. The Amherstburg Freedom Museum preserves and shares Amherstburg’s stories of the Underground Railroad and the compassion and solidarity it took to make this network possible.

This Saturday, an open house will run from 1pm to 5pm to mark the special occasion. Enjoy birthday cake, music, stories and 40 years of museum history. Fred Johnson, author of ‘Story of Gabriel Timberlake, Escaped Slave: Later Named James Johnson’, will be present for a book signing.

The Amherstburg Freedom Museum is located at 277 King Street. In honour of their 40th birthday admission is free on Saturday, but donations are welcome.