The African American Museum of Beginnings, now nestled at 1460 E. Holt Avenue, opened its doors in April 2011. Its story begins with Khalif and Victoria Rashaan, two lifelong educators who, after 37 years of teaching in the Pomona Unified School District, retired with a dream. They wanted to create a space where the stories, struggles, triumphs, and beauty of African and African American history could live—not just for one month of the year, but for every season.
Their first vision was simple but powerful: a museum for the children, especially during Black History Month. The district partnered with Village Academy to provide a space, and that’s where the seed was planted.
Word spread quickly. Family, friends, neighbors, and strangers came together in a wave of generosity and shared purpose. People dug into their garages, pulled treasures from dusty shelves, and brought photographs, books, fabrics, instruments, and artifacts that spoke of a shared heritage. It was a true birthing—a labor of love—of something deeply beautiful and rooted in community.
From the very beginning, this was not Khalif and Victoria’s museum. It belonged to everyone. Nearly 80 to 90 percent of what fills its walls and cases was donated by someone in the community. Churches, children, elders, schools, and families all poured a piece of themselves into it. The museum became a living quilt, each square stitched with a story.
After six months, the district and Village Academy gifted them another blessing: rent-free space, allowing the museum to grow without the heavy weight of costs. From there, the founders began the work of becoming a nonprofit, opening the door for wider support. Their vision is simple: if 1,000 people gave just $10 a month, the museum’s needs would be met—though gifts of any size are welcome.
Today, the museum hums with life. Visitors come for guided tours, book signings, concerts, and the Sankofa Reading Circle where children are wrapped in the power of story. Tai Chi classes breathe peace into the space. Partnerships, such as with Tri-City Mental Health, bring healing and connection. And every day, the museum continues to grow, a welcoming home where the community can gather, feel nurtured, and celebrate the richness of African American history and culture.
The African American Museum of Beginnings is more than a building, it is a living, breathing testimony to what a community can create when it comes together to honor its past and inspire its future.
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