The Florida African American Heritage Preservation Network (FAAHPN) is a professional association organized in 2001 by the John Gilmore Riley Center Museum.
FAAHPN serves as an informational and technical assistance resource in response to a growing interest in preserving Florida’s African American culture, that of the African Diaspora and that of other related ethnically diverse historic resources globally.
The Florida Black Heritage Trail Guide is a publication produced by FAAHPN that details a microcosm of African American landmarks and legacies that exist in various locations throughout the state of Florida. Though much of Florida’s African American History has been lost, this publication demonstrates a growing interest in documenting and preserving all that remains.
In addition to producing high-quality statewide publications that promote tourism and economic development, the FAAHPN provides:
- Technical Assistance to Museum & Historic Preservation Professionals!
- Content Development & Management!
- Enhancement of Organizational Resource Allocation!
- Professional Development for Staff, Board Members & Volunteers!
- Information Technology Upgrades through Hardware & Software Integration!
- VIVA Florida Partner commemorate role of the African Diaspora in Florida’s history!
- Grant, Fundraising & Private-Funding Development Training!
- Archival Research & Digitization!
- Consultation for Obtaining Historic Designation!
- Creation of Living History Exhibits and Educational Products!
Curators of the Florida Black Heritage Trail Publication
Outstanding Achievements in Tourism & Economic Development
- The Florida African American Heritage Preservation Network (“FAAHPN”) is a professional association organized in 2001 under the auspices and leadership of its Founding Director, Althemese Barnes. FAAPHN serves as an informational and technical assistance resource in response to a growing interest in preserving African American culture as well as related ethnically diverse historic properties in Florida.
- Provided research and content development for the Florida Black Heritage Trail Guide in 2005 and 2007. The guide details a microcosm of African American landmarks and legacies that exist and encourages heritage tourism in various locations throughout the state of Florida.
- Through partnerships with the Smithsonian Institute, VISIT FLORIDA®, the Florida Department of State, Black Meetings & Tourism Magazine, and others, FAAHPN has become a national leader in developing and delivering high-quality conferences, history exhibitions, publications and public education programs.
- Significant impact on businesses through contracts awarded to print companies, graphic design companies, travel agencies, communications, retail merchants, hotel/motel meeting sites, etc.
- Most recently, Althemese Barnes successfully mobilized local public and private agencies, including: Visit Tallahassee, Downtown Improvement Authority, the Tallahassee Trust for Historic Preservation, Florida A&M University, and the Florida Department of State, to prepare the winning bid in response to a request for proposal (“RFP”). This resulted in the FAAHPN being selected to coordinate and host a prestigious national conference in Florida’s capital city, a considerably smaller and less populated city, in comparison to prior conference sites such as Chicago, Pittsburg, Baltimore and others.
» CLICK HERE to read the Florida Black Heritage Trail Magazine