National African American Archives, Mobile; credit Mobile CVB
Mobile Cultural Sites
National African-American Archives Museum
DESCRIPTION: Housed in the Davis Avenue Branch of the Mobile Public Library built in 1931, the museum covers numerous contributions African Americans have made to Mobile and the voyage of the last known illegal slave ship, the Clotilde, which docked in Mobile in 1859. Mobile’s rich, culturally diverse history has produced such famous personalities as Hank Aaron, the former Major League Baseball home run leader, and U.S. Labor Secretary Alexis Herman, which are both represented in the museum’s collection, as well as African-American carvings, Indonesian fabrics, the James Bivens Collection, the History of the Colored Carnival (Mardi Gras), showcases of African royalties, a “Remember When” exhibit, a 7-piece lavatory set, and numerous other interesting memorabilia. The building designed by the famed George Bigelow Rogers, is an artifact itself; listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
ADMISSION: Free
DAYS & HOURS: Tue-Sat 10a-4p
ADDRESS: 564 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Mobile, AL MAP
PHONE: 251-433-8511
WEBSITE: none
Bishop State Black History Museum
DESCRIPTION: Bishop State’s Central Campus is located on the site of the Old Central High School; contains artifacts of early Black Mobilians and focuses on the development of Davis Avenue; artifacts, manuscripts, audio and visual arts are on display.
ADMISSION: Free
DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Fri 8:30a-4:30p
ADDRESS: 1365 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Mobile, AL MAP
PHONE: 251-405-4457
WEBSITE: http://www.bscc.cc.al.us/history.html
Hank Aaron Stadium
DESCRIPTION: Mobile has an incredible baseball tradition and is the home of the Mobile BayBears farm team of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Built in 1997, this 6,000 seat stadium includes a Hall of Fame Circle with monuments to namesake Hank Aaron, Satchel Paige, Willie McCovey, Billy Williams and Ozzie Smith, all born in Mobile and inducted into the Major League Baseball Baseball Hall of Fame. The stadium is unique in that the luxury suites are at field level, while infield seating for the general public is elevated by twenty feet. In a nice touch, Hank Aaron’s childhood home was moved to the stadium grounds in 2010 and serves as de facto museum. It is renovated into a museum that highlights Aaron’s accomplishments on the field, his family and baseball in Mobile.
DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Fri 9a-5p, Sat 10a-5p
ADDRESS: 755 Bolling Brothers Blvd, Mobile, AL MAP
PHONE: 251-479-2327
WEBSITE: http://www.hankaaronstadium.com
