News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Warren County Black History Museum celebrated its official opening this weekend.
Museum Curator and Director Wayne R. Wolford Sr. said setting up the museum began with his grandmother’s collection of records, photos and other local artifacts. Wolford said it was not long before the community’s contributions outgrew his own collection.
“Where people lived on the east side of town, which Urban Renewal came in and tore up a whole bunch of it,” Wolford said. “Then the other portion is the stuff coming from like old churches, old schools, old photographs at schools that are torn down that we used to go to.”
Wolford said the collection includes items from athletes who have gone professional, as well as other successful Warren County residents.
“We have one person, which was Carl T. Rowan,” Wolford said. “He was a very well known journalist and he’s been the Ambassador to Finland and he’s worked with JFK and Johnson. We also have one person here and he worked with TBI, he was the first black TBI person.”
That TBI officer was Mark Gwyn from McMinnville. Wolford said that the museum is getting to a good place and is excited to display history he feels needs to be shared.
He said anyone interested should call the Warren County Black History Museum to schedule a tour or reach out on Facebook. The Warren County Black History Museum is located at 203 West Main Street, Suite 13 in McMinnville.
