Afro-American Heritage Center - Rock Island, IL

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Organizational Structure and History
 

The Afro-American Heritage Center incorporated in the State of Illinois June 14, 2006 as a Not-for-profit organization. In October of 2007 a determination was made by the IRS that the corporation was exempt from Federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The purpose of the AAHC is to provide history programs for youths in particular and the community in general.

The corporation is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. All funds, whether income or principle, and whether acquired by gift or contribution or otherwise, shall be devoted to said purposes.

The corporation is non-political and does not participate or intervene directly or indirectly to influence legislation or participate to any extent in a political campaign for or against any candidate for public office.

Present board members are Cynthia A. Clark, Christine K. Berry and Gloria Sonnier.

We look forward to helping all who choose to Learn the past, Support the present and help Define the future.

All peoples, regardless of their heritage, are welcome to benefit from the programs and activities of this organization.
Why Afro-American Heritage Center?
 

Our focus is to educate the community of the rich, vibrant and untaught black-African history as it pertains to the United States of America. Little did we know that the first lesson we would teach would be the understanding of our chosen name.

It has become politically correct to say “African American”; however, this noun applies to all black-African descendants anywhere in the Americas. In choosing the name of our organization, the goal was to be clear on whose heritage or culture was our focus.

 In the preface of Africans in the Americas, the authors note:

“Hyphenated constructions using the prefix Afro refer to people of elements specific to place, as in Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Cuban and Afro-Caribbean. Afro-American refers to African Americans within the United States or its Colonial predecessors. To avoid confusion, the adjective “U.S” identifies the separate nation and “American” the broader Americas”.

Therefore, with the United States and African Americans being our focus, it is most appropriate that we use Afro-American as part of our organizations name; hence, we are the Afro-American Heritage Center.