Burlingame Celebrates Black History Month

As Black History Month comes to a close, Burlingame residents have one last chance to explore the Domini Hoskins Black History Museum and Learning Center exhibit at 1426 Burlingame Ave. Put together by Carolyn Hoskins in conjunction with the NFL Alumni, the exhibit presents a vast array of historical pieces curated by Hoskins.

“It is a product of really one person,” said Jeff Bayer, director of marketing for the Northern California NFL Alumni. “She’s got thousands of artifacts in there that are irreplaceable…anything we can do to promote it is a beautiful thing.”

The exhibit contains photos and artifacts of notable figures in civil rights, government and sports, with a focus on Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and President Barack Obama.

The collection, which Bayer described as staggering, is a mix of unique items chronicling the civil rights movement and achievements of prominent blacks in America.

People from all over the Bay Area have visited the 10,000-square-foot exhibit since it opened Feb. 2.

“Opening night it was wonderful…we had truly an eclectic group,” said Bayer. “[We had] educators, politicians, athletes…pretty much people come from all over Northern California.”

The exhibit has been running each February for about 10 years. Hoskins generally displays the exhibit wherever space is available, from empty storefronts to vacant bank buildings.

On Friday nights, the exhibit transforms into a Motown music venue, dedicated to great American black musicians, such as Stevie Wonder.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. through the end of the month.