Restoring a Discarded Greyhound Bus into a Migration Museum, a Local Cleveland Artisan Advances
In a unique blend of history and innovation, a Greyhound bus is being transformed into a travelling museum dedicated to the Great Migration, a significant event in American history that saw millions of African Americans move from the rural South to urban areas in the North and West between 1910 and 1970.
The brainchild of Robert Louis Brandon Edwards, an artist from Cleveland, Ohio, the Museum of the Great Migration was born from a desire to understand his grandmother's experience during this period. Edwards purchased a Greyhound bus from the Great Migration era for $5,500, a bus that once operated in the Great Lakes region, making stops in cities like Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, New York, and Philadelphia - major destinations for Black southerners during the Great Migration.
The bus, currently parked outside a Greyhound terminal in Cleveland on Chester Avenue, is undergoing a metamorphosis. Several components of the bus, including the back bench, survived one of the previous owners turning it into a motorhome. Edwards aims to explore aspects such as noise, warmth, comfort, and fear during the journey across America, providing a tangible link to the past.
The Museum of the Great Migration will highlight the experiences and hardships African Americans endured during the Great Migration. The museum will feature virtual reality exhibitions, offering visitors an immersive experience into this crucial chapter of American history.
The Greyhound terminal, designed in 1948 by architect William Strudwick Arrasmith in the Streamline Moderne, post-Deco style, is permanently closing its doors later this year due to increased competition from airlines and ride-sharing services. However, it is set to be turned into a performance venue by Cleveland-based arts education nonprofit Playhouse Square. Craig Hassall, the president and CEO of Playhouse Square, sees the synchronicity between the bus museum and the terminal's conversion into a performance venue.
Playhouse Square allowed Edwards to park the bus outside the terminal, and exhibitions at the converted terminal could also explore Ohio's Black history. Edwards' museum project is in partnership with Playhouse Square and is part of his Columbia University doctoral studies in historic preservation.
The concept of transforming a Greyhound bus into a museum dedicated to the Great Migration is an innovative way to honor the history and impact of this significant event. Funding for such a project would likely come from a combination of sources: grants and donations from organizations focused on preserving African American history and culture, corporate partnerships with companies interested in promoting cultural awareness and education, and crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter or GoFundMe.
The impact of a Greyhound bus museum dedicated to the Great Migration would be multifaceted. It would serve as a moving educational exhibit that could visit schools and community centres, increasing awareness about this pivotal period in American history. By travelling to different locations, it would engage diverse communities in discussions about historical migration and its ongoing effects on society. It would help preserve the stories and experiences of those who migrated, ensuring their history is not forgotten.
An existing example of transforming a bus into a museum is the work by Robert Louis Brandon Edwards, who converted a historic Greyhound bus into a museum but did not specifically focus on the Great Migration. This project, while not directly related, demonstrates the feasibility of using a bus as a mobile museum.
As the Museum of the Great Migration takes shape, it promises to be a poignant and powerful tribute to a period in American history that continues to resonate today.
- Robert Louis Brandon Edwards, an artist from Cleveland, Ohio, is transforming a Greyhound bus from the Great Migration era into a travelling museum, showcasing his unique blending of art and history.
- The Museum of the Great Migration, a part of Edwards' Columbia University doctoral studies in historic preservation, will be displayed outside a Greyhound terminal in Cleveland, set to become a performance venue by the Cleveland-based arts education nonprofit Playhouse Square.
- The museum project is aimed at attracting funding from various sources, including grants and donations from organizations focused on preserving African American history and culture, corporate partnerships, and crowdfunding platforms.
- Upon completion, the museum will feature virtual reality exhibitions, offering visitors an immersive experience into the Great Migration, highlighting the experiences and hardships African Americans endured during this critical period in American history.
- By traveling and visiting schools and community centers, the Museum of the Great Migration will foster discussions about historical migration, its ongoing effects on society, and serve as a moving educational exhibit to increase awareness about this pivotal chapter in American history.
