Happy Birthday, Dr. Charles H. Wright!

The Charles H. Wright Museum
of African American History

September 1-30

Honoring our Founder

All month long, we honor the mission, vision, and lasting legacy of our founder, Dr. Charles H. Wright! To celebrate his lasting legacy, our Friends Committee encourages everyone to become a member. Join now, and learn more about Dr. Wright’s story, mission, and vision!

Support His Vision

Celebrate all month long our membership campaign

Each September, the Friends Committee hosts a month-long membership drive to celebrate Dr. Charles H. Wright's legacy. 

Kevin L. Davidson
Kevin L. Davidson, Director of Design and Fabrication at The Wright Museum
"The Wright Man" 2022 Honoree

Kevin Davidson has served as Director of Design and Fabrication Services at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History since 1983. After working as a contractor on several projects at the museum’s original location, Dr. Wright recruited Davidson personally to work for the museum as exhibition designer full-time. Throughout his 39 years, Davidson has been responsible for overseeing the design of numerous award-winning exhibitions and collateral materials that bring history to life for diverse youth and adult audiences. He has designed hundreds of exhibitions at The Wright, including Tuskegee Airmen (2021);  Bandit Heroes, Poets and Saint: Art from the Northwest of Brazil (2013); and Obama: Portrait of a President (2022). Davidson also contributed to The Wright’s cornerstone exhibition, And Still We Rise, as part of the design and fabrication team. Through his company State of the Art Graphics, Davidson has worked in advertising and designed exhibitions for other arts and cultural institutions throughout the country. He designed the Northwest African American Museum's award-winning exhibition Bold as Love: Jimi Hendrix at Home (2018), which won the 2019 Association of King County Historical Organizations Exhibition of the Year award.
 
Kevin completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Art Direction at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI.

 

Judge Craig S. Strong
Judge Craig S. Strong, Civil Division of the Wayne County Circuit Court
Honorary Co-Chair

Judge Strong holds lifetime memberships with the Charles H Wright Museum of African American History, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and the NAACP. He is a 33-degree Prince Hall Mason. As a community leader, he sponsors an annual Black History Month membership drive for The Wright and is a founding member of The Wright’s African World Festival. Judge Strong received the Distinguished Man of the Year Humanitarian Award and the coveted Whitney Young Scouting Award for exemplary work with Detroit’s young men. For more than three decades, he has served as the Chairman for the annual Adopt a Child for Christmas Program. A highly respected and known jurist, Judge Craig S. Strong is affiliated with the Wolverine Bar Association, National Bar Association, the Navy Reserve Officer Association, and many others. He is a retired Commander in the United States Navy Reserve. 
 
A Detroit native, Judge Craig S. Strong received his high school diploma from Cass Technical High School, a Bachelor of Arts from Howard University, and the Juris Doctorate from the Detroit College of Law, now Michigan State University School of Law.

 

About Dr. Wright: a man with vision

Physician, author, and activist Charles Howard Wright (September 20, 1918 – March 7, 2002) was born in Dothan, Alabama. Dr. Wright devoted his life to the Detroit community as a successful obstetrician-gynecologist, civil rights leader, institution builder, philanthropist, author and loving husband and father. A tremendous force in the integration of Detroit hospitals, Dr. Wright served as emeritus attending physician at Harper-Grace Hospital; senior attending physician at Sinai Hospital and assistant clinical professor of OB-GYN at Wayne State University.

On encountering a memorial to World War II heroes in Denmark, Dr. Wright felt inspired to create a repository for African-American history and culture, a space for celebration and remembrance that would inspire generations of visitors. This inspiration led him to open the International Afro-American Museum in 1965. Dr. Wright’s commitment to the Museum and other initiatives earned him the title of Father of the National Movement to Establish African American Museums.

Become a Member

Become a steward of Dr. Wright's legacy by preserving this institution for generations to come.

Get your September "Wright Message" Tee

All September, we honor the mission, vision, and lasting legacy of our founder, Dr. Charles H. Wright!  His quote that displays his passion for African American history is, "Knowledge of history isn't a luxury, but a necessity."  This comfortable tee is made of 100% ring-spun cotton, and double stitching on the neckline and sleeves add more durability to what is sure to be a favorite. All proceeds benefit the Museum. Honor Dr. Charles H. Wright and get your t-shirt today!

I was committed to what I defined as one of the most important tasks of our times...ensuring that generations, especially young African Americans, are made aware of and take pride in the history of their forebears and their remarkable struggle for freedom.
Dr. Charles H. Wright (1918-2002)