HISTORY

        The African American Diversity Cultural Center Hawai'i (AADCCH) was founded in 1997 as a museum repository to archive 200 years of African descent history in Hawaii.  The purpose is to share the collections by displaying and  exhibiting artifacts, photographs, oral history to tell the story of African Americans past and present history in all its permutations: family life, civic contributions, inventions, medicine, architecture, politics, religion, law and arts that will educate the people in Hawaii about the cultural heritage of black people in this country.

      During the late 1700s and early 1800s, Hawaii was sparsely populated.  Many people of African ancestry came to Hawaii aboard merchant and whaling ships.  The earliest settlers
arrived in the Hawaiian Islands around 1769.  Maritime labor during the 17th and 18th centuries was predominantly Black.  Conditions  on ships were harsh and the pay low, it was better than being a slave.  These men came from Cape Verde Islands off the coast of West Africa, the Caribbean and the mainland United States.  Throughout the age of sail, black hands maneuvered white sails traversing the ocean waterways.  The Atlantic Ocean ships brought Blacks to the slave blocks, the Pacific Ocean brought them to freedom.  Many Black men used the oceans as their underground railroads.  In Hawai'i, Blacks were free to go ashore without harassment, dozens of them jump ship and made Hawai'i their home. They were welcome by the Hawaiian people.

SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

AADCCH's literacy program is desiged to provide direct services to children who are not reading at grade level.  This program  enables children to increase their self-esteem, confidence, and literacy skills.   A child who can read will do better in math and other school work.

Jazz Cultural Journey, is an event that takes the audience on a  musical tour consisting of the African American experiences through a rich amalgam of diverse jazz music which is reflective of Hawaii's ethnic diversity.

School Cultural Enrichment is a program designed to acquaint teachers and student with African and African American culture through literaturre,  the medium of dance, drumming, cultural skits in the classroom from Kindergarden to 12th grades.

HIV/AIDS Community Awareness seminars at local churches to provide information to the community as a preventive measure.

African American Literary Reading Group is an ongoing activity that meet every 2nd and 4th Monday of each month.   The Group reads literature written mostly by Africans and African American authors.  Since the Fall of 1997, hundreds of people from many cultures have been in attendance.

Annual Kwanzaa Celebration takes place at the Hilton Hawaiian Village from December 26 to December 30.  The Hotel promotes this event to its hotel guests.  Each year, the number of guests attending increases.