Welcome to
Mama's Attic!
The African American History and Culture Center (AAHC) curates themed exhibits focusing on African American History and Culture in the context of America’s history and race relations. The exhibits feature Black Americana and Jim Crow Americana reflecting the African American experiences in a historical and cultural context through artifacts and research.
The Doll Museum of Black History and Culture complements the History and Culture Center but uses dolls to tell the story. Through the Eyes of a Doll is the museum’s permanent exhibit which showcases three centuries of Black dolls to show how Black doll making parallels the state of race relations in America. Mama’s Attic Doll Museum also curates changing exhibits around the Founder’s extensive collection ranging from Primitive to modern day dolls. The collection includes material dolls made during slavery, antique German dolls, and such rare dolls as the Patty Jo, Sarahlee dolls and the first Black Barbie.
The doll museum is currently only one of two brick and mortar doll museums in the country and a first for Nebraska.
Come explore, learn, and be inspired. Plan your visit today!
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About Us
Mama’s Attic was founded in 2020 after a successful art show curated by LaVon Stennis Williams which showcased the art work her mother Emma Pearl Haynes Stennis left behind.
Interested to learn more, event attendees strongly encouraged LaVon to open an art gallery for greater access to her mother’s art. After several months of planning, the concept of Mama’s Attic was born.
LaVon knew that her mom used her art to tell history so she decided use her art work as the basis for a boutique museum that would provide an opportunity to learn about the complete story on the day to day life and experiences of African American rather than just a venue to showcase relics. Each themed exhibit incorporates art, authentic relics, and researched information to tell a story.
Mama’s Attic provides carefully researched exhibits that are curated around a historical theme. The themed exhibits change every 3 months. Each exhibit is accompanied by a short video related to the themed subject.
Mama’s Attic can accommodate individual or group visits. All visits are by appointment only. Visits are free, but donations are appreciated.
Mama's Inspiration
Emma Pearl Haynes Stennis is the inspiration behind Mama’s Attic.
Born in Gholson, Mississippi in 1926 to parents Clay and Nola Haynes. She and her family sharecropped until 1952 when the family moved to Omaha, Nebraska in hopes of a better life.
Mama was a self-taught folk artist who used art to express her life growing up in Mississippi, the overall history and culture of Black Americans and their experiences in America. Many of her pictures tell her family’s story living as poor sharecroppers in segregated rural Mississippi.
Mama loved all History, but focused mainly on Black History. Although she only received a sixth grade education, she was an avid reader and self-taught historian. I inherited my love of history from her.
Long before the issues surrounding Critical Race Theory, it was Mama’s belief that history belonged to us all and should be taught without making any one feel guilty or inferior. Mama’s Attic is my way of continuing my mom’s legacy of telling our complete history.
