Atlanta, often described as the hub of the New South, is also home to a vibrant Jamaican community. On August 24, members of that community will launch a fundraising campaign aimed at establishing a permanent museum dedicated to Jamaican history and culture.
The initiative is being spearheaded by the Jamaican Museum and Cultural Center (JMCC), founded in 2019. Its president, Dr. Apollone Reid, said the group hopes to raise US$5 million within three years, beginning with a “bricks campaign” that will run for five months. The goal is to complete construction of the museum within 18 months once funding is secured.
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“The museum will display Jamaica’s journey from its genesis—artifacts from the Arawaks, slavery, the Maroons, changing currency, the slave rebellions, our national heroes, paintings of our great achievers in music, politics, beauty queens, entertainers, memorabilia from 1962 independence, athletes and political figures who have changed or impacted the world,” Dr. Reid told reporters.
While pushing toward a physical location, the organization currently operates an interactive website (www.jmccatlanta.com) that educates visitors about Jamaican history and culture. The online collection features works and artifacts from prominent Jamaican creatives, including Atlanta-based sculptor Basil Watson, painter Bernard Hoyes, and artist/designer Tamara Gammon.
Bricks campaigns are a popular fundraising tool in the United States. Donors purchase engraved bricks—bearing names, messages, or dedications—which are then permanently displayed in a designated area of the facility. JMCC leaders hope the campaign will draw support from the Jamaican diaspora as well as wider Caribbean and American communities in Atlanta and beyond.If successful, the project would create the first major museum of its kind in the southeastern U.S., offering a permanent space to showcase Jamaica’s cultural legacy
