Preserving History

The Copeland African American Museum collection spans more than 150 years of history and features more than 125 pieces, which the Copelands began collecting in 1989 when Cheryl Copeland surprised Roy Copeland with a set of autographed Muhammad Ali boxing gloves for Christmas. She continued to select a unique piece of history for him every year, and soon the couple began collecting even more African American memorabilia at live auctions, online auctions, garage sales, antique houses, and more.

The current Copeland African American Museum exhibit houses about a third of the total collection, including those Muhammad Ali boxing gloves. The displays are scheduled to change twice a year, encouraging guests of all ages to return to the museum again and again for a fresh learning experience.