Quantum Foundation Makes $500,000 Grant to Community Foundation’s African American Museum and Research Library (AAMRL)

Funding will Support Architectural Design and Planning for AAMRL on Historical Roosevelt High School Site in West Palm Beach

Quantum Foundation has announced a $500,000 grant to the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties’ newly established African American Museum and Research Library (AAMRL) Fund. The grant will support architectural planning and design for the project. Quantum Foundation‘s mission is to inspire and fund initiatives that improve the health of Palm Beach County residents.

Earlier this year, the Community Foundation received approval for funding from the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners to plan and develop a new African American Museum at the historic Roosevelt High School site (1601 N. Tamarind Ave) in West Palm Beach. The AAMRL will celebrate and preserve African American history and culture in West Palm Beach, the state of Florida, and beyond. The project will include exhibit space, a research library, and extensive opportunities for community engagement through lectures, educational programming, workshops, seminars, special exhibitions, cultural programs, oral history projects, research opportunities, and youth programs.

“Over the past five years, we have strategically supported projects and programs to enhance the physical and social conditions for residents in Coleman Park,” said Eric Kelly, president of Quantum Foundation. “These neighborhoods, which reflect the lowest life expectancy in Palm Beach County, are home to some of the most extraordinary cultural landmarks. While we’ve made strides, there is still much work to be done in addressing the underlying systems that impact this community. We are proud to support the African American Museum and Research Library, which serves as a powerful reminder of our shared history and furthers our ongoing commitment to this area.”

“The Palm Beach County African American Museum and Research Library initiative would not be possible without the generosity and support of partners like Quantum Foundation,” said Danita R. DeHaney, President & CEO of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. “Quantum Foundation’s $500,000 grant, dedicated to architectural planning and design, represents a crucial first step in creating a lasting cultural institution that will preserve and celebrate African American history for generations to come.”

According to DeHaney, the AAMRL will stand as a transformative anchor institution in the historic Coleman Park neighborhood, fostering community pride, economic growth, and cultural vitality while honoring the area’s rich African American heritage. This initiative is a collaboration between the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, The School District of Palm Beach County, and various community stakeholders.

Once home to West Palm Beach’s two all-Black high schools, in recent years, the Roosevelt High grounds became the Roosevelt Full-Service Center. The Roosevelt Center, owned by the The School District of Palm Beach County, became a community center with neighborhood resources, services, and alternative school programs on site.

The School District has already commenced phase one of the Roosevelt Center renovation project. Phase two of the project will provide for renovation of the buildings at the Roosevelt Center that will house the research library and for construction of a new 20,000 square-foot two-story building to house the museum.