Executive Summary: Historically Black Cultural Centers in Atlanta, GA

The Hammonds House Museum

503 Peeples Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30310

This plaque is located on the front entrance of the Hammonds House Museum.
The West End is a historically black neighborhood in Atlanta, GA.

This is the front faade of the Hammonds House Museum.

Shakirah Bryant
February 7, 2015

Executive Summary: Historically Black Cultural Centers in Atlanta, GA

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From the left: Figure 1: Interior shot of the foyer of the Hammonds House Museum, Figure 2: Statue from the
Hammonds House Benin sculpture collection, Figure 3: Interior shot of the historic green room in the Hammonds
House Museum.

Quick Facts about the Hammonds House Museum

The Hammonds House Museum is located in Atlantas Historic West End Neighborhood
The West End neighborhood is home to a large African American community, which includes the three
historically black colleges of Atlanta, GA which are Clark Atlanta University, Spelman and Morehouse
School of Medicine.
The Hammonds House Museum specializes in artwork and artifacts of the African Diaspora.
The Hammonds House Museum was founded by Dr. Otis Thrash Hammonds, a prominent AfricanAmerican in the Atlanta community that had a vast collection of artwork.
The Hammonds House Museum is also a cultural center that offers special programing for the performing
arts and also educational events for students K-12.
The address to the Hammonds House Museum is 503 Peeples Street SW, Atlanta GA 30310.
The hours of operation are as follows: Wednesday-Friday, 10:00am-6:00pm, Saturday-Sunday, 1:00pm5:00pm, Mondays-Tuesdays & National Holidays-CLOSED.

The Mission
Open since 1988 as an institution of artistic and cultural distinction, Hammonds House
Museum offers visitors the opportunity to explore the artistic richness and diversity of artists of
African descent. Lectures, workshops, demonstrations, panel discussions, youth programming
and special events nurture an appreciation for art as well as the contributions to world culture
by artists of the African Diaspora. The Hammonds House Museum website (2015)

The History
The Hammonds House Museums architectural structure itself has had a long history
within the West End community. It was originally acquired by Atlanta attorney Malcolm
Johnston sometime between 1867 and 1871 (History Atlanta, 2014). The house was Victorian in
style, and Malcolm Johnston added the second floor and attic to the house before he moved
out in 1905. A few years later in 1910, James Whitaker Bingham purchased the house with his
three sisters, Kate, Madge and Eugenie. As soon as the siblings moved in, they made more
structural changes to the house (History Atlanta, 2014). James added a large room in the back
of the house, while the older sister Madge opened a kindergarten in the home, the first of its
kind in Atlanta, GA. In addition to running the kindergarten, Madge was a childrens book
author (History Atlanta, 2014). The Bingham siblings enjoyed their home and the surrounding
community for many years, until the 1930s when the Great Depression closed the kindergarten
because people couldnt afford to put their children through school. Madge was the last
surviving heir until 1957, when she died. During the 1960s and 1970s, the house stood vacant
and decaying from exposure and neglect. It wasnt until 1979 when Dr. Otis Thrash Hammonds
purchased the house did the building return to its original luster and brilliance.
Dr. Otis Thrash Hammonds was originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was a
Korean War veteran and he received his medical degrees from Lincoln University in
Pennsylvania and Meharry Medical College in Nashville. He completed school in 1963 (History
Atlanta, 2014). Throughout his career, Dr. Otis Thrash Hammonds served in the local hospitals
in the Atlanta community. He was named Atlanta Medical Associations Man of the Year before
his death in 1985 (History Atlanta, 2014). While alive, Dr. Otis Thrash Hammonds was an
advocate for the arts. He collected African, Caribbean and African-American, creating a
collection that had over 350 pieces. His collection also contained 18 pieces of Romare
Beardens artwork, and also the famous work of Benny Andrews, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob
Lawrence, Hale Woodruff and James Van Der Zee. Dr. Otis Thrash Hammonds sat on many
community committees and boards that supported the arts, such as the African-American
Dance Ensemble and the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library Art Committee, just to name a few. It is
also important to note that the death of Dr. Otis Thrash was attributed to complication of AIDS,
and he was a silent member in Atlantas gay community. His obituary read that he died from
Leukemia as to not allude to his eccentric lifestyle.
Cultural Connections
The Hammonds House Museum is one of the cornerstones in Atlantas African-American
cultural event spaces. Dr. Otis Thrash Hammonds and his predecessors have made sure that
that the extensive collection of African Diaspora is available to the general public all year,
whether through special programming or gallery exhibitions. This month alone, there have
been several events scheduled, such as a private screening of the film, Who Killed Emmett Till?
Also advertised on the website is a book signing and a childrens film festival that will take place
at the South Fulton Arts Center, who is a partner of the Hammonds House Museum.

Current Offerings

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From the left: Figure 4: Close up of exhibition featuring Shanequa Gay, Figure 5: Another close up of a piece
featured in Shanequa Gays exhibition, Figure 3: Interior shot of the gallery featuring the work of artist Shanequa
Gay.

Currently on display in the Hammonds House Museum is the work of artist Shanequa
Gay. On the organizations website, it describes her work as, a dramatic exploration of the
plight and perceptions of Black males in contemporary American culture. A contribution to the
ongoing conversation about what is happening to African-American males (Hammonds House
Museum website, 2015). Shanequa Gay is a local Atlanta artist that has studied fine art at
Emory University and the Savannah College of Art & Design. Her work is colorful and vibrant,
and is a direct reflection of what the current climate is in society.

Image of Shanequa Gay, courtesy of Hammonds House Museum website, 2015.

Resources
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Authors Notes: When I visited the Hammonds House Museum on Wednesday, February 4 , I was
greeted by Audrey Johnson, executive assistant. She agreed to allow me to photograph the inside of the museum if
I did not include her likeness in my report. I agreed to her terms and conditions, and was allowed to photograph
the outside premises, downstairs lobby and gallery spaces. I was not allowed to photograph on the second floor
because they were currently renovating the space for an upcoming exhibition that will debut in March.
The Hammonds House Museum, (2015). http://www.hammondshouse.org/
Lee, C. (2014). History Atlanta (2015). http://historyatlanta.com/hammonds-house-museum/