Program for May 13, 2013: Rachel Carson and Shirley Briggs by University of Iowa's Karen Mason and Liz Christiansen

Invocation: Jerry Rhoads

Rotary Guests: Carlos Barbosa, and  Mary Jo Stanley.

Rafa presented an informative overview of her family and Brazil her homeland. She is departing for home this week and this will be her last Muscatine Rotary Club meeting.

Program: Keith Porter introduced the program and presenters.  Tom Moore , current Executive Director and Michael Kates, soon to be Executive Director.  Tom Moore was highly complimentary of Muscatine and has even chosen to vacation here!!.  He has fond memories with the Musser Art Center, the Muscatine History and Industry Center and the Musser Public Library.  The African American Museum has striven to be a statewide organization and has board members from across the state. The organization has been in existence for 20 years and the current building has been home for the past 10, including the recent flood phase.  Tom Moore acknowledged that it has been a grand journey with the grassroots organization coming out of a church.  It was housed in Westdale Mall for a while.

The current facility features murals that tell the African American experience through locally designed murals and exhibits!!  Exhibits feature the Underground Railroad in Iowa, Katz's drugstore counter in Des Moines and native African experiences.  The museum works with the schools and libraries to share their stories.  A variety of activities include Learning Safaris, Traveling Trunks, Underground Railroad Experience, Summer Camps and History in the Park!