Hi, I'm Kevin Jones. It has been a lifelong dream to establish a museum inspired by my collection of Black art and Black memorabilia. For more than 25 years, I've been an avid collector of Black art and memorabilia. I'm the founder of A Museum of Black Experiences Inc., a Non-Profit Organization [Federal Tax ID: 92-2089941].

I was born in Saginaw, MI, and have lived throughout the East Coast. Since returning to Saginaw in 2020, I've launched Blactiquing™, continuing my passion for showcasing Black art, history, and experiences. I have more than 6,000 pieces in my collection. I'm also the founder and archive custodian of The Black LGBT Archivists Society of Philadelphia, established in 2007. While my true passions are in Black art and history, my professional work in the social sector spans more than two decades. These roles have allowed me to support the amazing work of many impactful nonprofit organizations. I have degrees from the University of Michigan, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and the University of Pennsylvania. I'm a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

AMusBE Promise: Connect residents and visitors to local, regional, and global expressions of Black experiences.

Vision: To be recognized as an essential destination for engaging in fun and tough conversations about the role of race and Blackness in world cultures, while observing these interpretations through art and other creative expressions.

Purpose: Invite communities to well-curated exhibitions and events of Black cultural experiences, while highlighting their impacts in art, history, politics, religion, and geography, to facilitate learning, cultural connections, and the creation of community and alliances.

Art Incubation and Artist Exposure

There are many artists and cultural workers who do not get the exposure that they deserve. AMusBE will serve as an outlet for local and up-and-coming artists and cultural workers to display their art and talents related to Black cultural experiences and expressions.

Inspire Curiosity and Value

AMusBE must inspire people to be even more curious about, and find value in, culture, race, and ethnicity. Current discussions on Critical Race Theory and the removal of confederate statues have made conversations on race more public and more tedious, and “safe places” are needed where explorations of race can happen without sugar-coating realities of different Black experiences and narratives. This will lead to a positive impact on how patrons view the world and all its diverse people.

Learning Together

AMusBE will provide parents in Saginaw and the Great Lakes Bay Region with a recreational outlet for their children that offers engaging activities, as well as educational edification. There is a wealth of benefits when parents and children have opportunities for positive interactions.

Foster Alliance Building

AMusBE will be seen as a go-to site for learning, community building, alliance development, and cultural connections through the lens of Black cultural and heritage experiences. Throughout time, Black people have joined together, as well as with individuals from other racial and ethnic groups, to motivate powerful changes. Reminders of these lessons can motivate contemporary changes when groups with historical differences come together and unite on a cause.

Volunteers and Storytellers

AMusBE will provide opportunities for residents to lend their talents as volunteers in various functions, especially in helping visitors understand and appreciate AMusBE, its offerings, and Black experiences. In this sense, volunteers and storytellers will serve as ambassadors to AMusBE and what will become a treasured gem in Saginaw and the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Extraordinary Visitor Experience

AMusBE must provide residents and visitors of Saginaw and the Great Lakes Bay Region, of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, a compelling, visually pleasing, well-curated presentation of Black cultural experiences and their impacts in art, history, politics, religion, and geography that facilitates new ways of thinking even after they leave the AMusBE physical or virtual spaces.

Community Destination Stop

AMusBE will provide school districts, senior nursing centers, and other community-based organizations in Saginaw and the Great Lakes Bay Region with a quality educational resource for field trips and other social outings. It will complement the cultural and social opportunities that are already available throughout Michigan.

Top Tourist Attraction

The State of Michigan is beautiful, and each corner of the state offers something to do—from cultural events, hunting, or visiting its waterways. It’s estimated that 1.185M people visited the State in 2020. While the Great Lakes Bay Region is a destination spot for many Black families who visit for family reunions and for those who come for business reasons, there are very few museums or cultural institutions or attractions that are dedicated to showcasing Black experiences, as there are in other parts of the State. To this end, AMusBE will serve as a regional anchor by adding another quality tourist attraction that will complement the existing cultural institutions in the area.

Bring the World to Saginaw

Saginaw has a lot to offer and remains a gem in the State of Michigan. AMusBE will bring the world to Saginaw through traveling exhibitions, special lecture series, and unique collections that spark interest and curiosity. AMusBE will be well-integrated in the local history and identity.