I’m just a buffalo solider in the heart of America~Bob Marley

From the beautiful architecture of Balboa park, to visiting the world renowned San Diego Zoo, and watching sunsets, San Diego, California lives up to it’s reputation of being one of the finest cities in America. I was in awe! It’s not everyday, you get to look at palm trees in the Midwest.

In visiting new places, my goal is to always explore beyond the main attractions.

In exploring the city, I discovered a hidden gem in the  heart of Old Town. Casa Del Rey Moro African Latin Museum. This is not your typical museum. Who knew that $5, could buy you a cultural education experience of 6,000 years of Black history.

The museum’s owner and curator Professor Chuck Ambers founded the museum with the mission to educate visitors on the contributions Africans have made throughout history. The tiny space houses over 7,000 books in nine different languages. There is a story behind every piece of artwork and artifact.  Casa Del Rey Moro African Latin Museum is the “Disneyland” of Black history.

Prior to my visit I only knew of African-American inventors of the 19th century. Professor Ambers taught me about the Moors in Spain and how they developed Europe through STEM.  I had only heard of the buffalo soldiers referenced by Bob Marley. The museum has an exhibit featuring the Buffalo Soldiers, which showcases Cathy Williams, the first female buffalo solider.

Learning 6,000 years of history can seem a bit overwhelming.  I spent over four hours in the museum. The experience was thought provoking.   The highlight of tour was when Professor Ambers had me teach two visitors. The two men were impressed that  I’d learned so much in a short amount of time.

It was not all the history that stuck with me the most, but the words of wisdom on how one could progress forward in life. Key lessons I learned from learning history with Professor Ambers:

1. Learn to speak more than one language-If you function in only one language, they control your mind.
2. Expand your mind to open your eyes-On the back of the dollar bill is the pyramid of providence.  Our history has been with us all along. We are walking around with it everyday.  The pyramid is an African cultural symbol that symbolizes natural balance, harmony, and triads of life.  When you learn your history, you will begin to see it all around you.
3. Travel-Go beyond the books and take the adventure out into the world. Knowledge will come full circle when you tie the textbook with the exploration.

One blog post cannot sum up over 6,000 years of history. Historians Connect mission is to connect you to people, places, and events that will inspire your own journey of learning history, exploring history, and creating history.

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