COLUMBIA, S.C. – In celebration of Black History Month, Michael Haley, South Carolina’s First Gentleman, invites the public to view a one-of-a-kind exhibit of African-American art. The exhibit consists of pieces originally owned by The Old Slave Mart Museum and is currently on loan from the Greater Acacia Collection, a foundation that maintains and preserves thousands of artifacts chronicling the African-American journey.
 
Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, The Old Slave Mart Museum and Library was founded in 1937 by Miriam B. Wilson and taken over by sisters Judith Wragg Chase and Louise Alston Graves in 1964. The museum showcased a remarkable collection of African and African-American arts and crafts until its closure in 1987. The Greater Acacia Collection secured and preserved the bulk of these South Carolina treasures. Michael Haley invites guests to enjoy this sampling of South Carolina’s unique history. 
 
The exhibit will be on display in the basement of the Lace House, within the Governor’s Mansion Complex, for the first three full weeks of February on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The Lace House may be accessed from Gadsden Street and there is no charge to view the display.
 
To learn more about The Old Slave Mart Museum, click here: http://www.charleston-sc.gov/index.aspx?nid=160