GRAND RAPIDS AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES

The Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives (GRAAMA) is a community-focused history and culture museum founded and opened by George A. Bayard III in the mid-2010s to collect and share local African American history through exhibits, oral histories, programming and archival collections. GRAAMA operates as a 501(c)(3) public charity with an active web presence and public programming that includes Black History Month, Juneteenth, Kwanzaa and ongoing exhibit rotations.

In recent years GRAAMA has expanded its footprint and visibility: it reported significant revenue growth on its most recent publicly available Form 990 (fiscal 2024) and completed a move into a much larger facility to allow expanded exhibits, archival storage, a theater and visitor amenities. The organization collaborates with municipal and regional partners and is regularly featured in local media and cultural directories.

GRAAMA emphasizes community-facing services—oral-history projects, rotating exhibits of local artists and historical displays, educational programs for schools and public events—positioning itself as both a cultural anchor and a living archive for Grand Rapids and West Michigan.