The unbuilt York City African American History and Cultural Center commissioned by Crispus Attucks in York, Pennsylvania, also received a $4 million state grant.
The idea for a new type of museum and “community place” in York is coming to life — and receiving recognition long before its groundbreaking.
The proposed Crispus Attucks and York City African American History and Cultural Center, designed by Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects, received a Central PA AIA Design Award just before receiving $4 million in a state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant in 2021.
“The design, created by Frank Dittenhafer and his team, was an excellent portrait of our organization’s future,” says Bobby Simpson, CEO of Crispus Attucks, a community-based nonprofit that serves the underserved and economically disadvantaged in the greater York area and beyond. “I have to give the credit to them because they understood the importance of preserving our culture and brought our idea to life. It’s no surprise to me that it’s been received so well.”
A new museum
The proposed Crispus Attucks and York City African American History and Cultural Center would sit at the north end of the organization's parking lot off Boundary Avenue. The design vision was revealed at the March 2021 Crispus Attucks annual meeting, where Simpson made a call for York’s “movers and shakers” to support the $8 million project.
The building is expected to be a little over 19,000 square feet and comprised of a three-story (four floor levels) section and a tall one-story event space accommodating more than 100 people. Each room in the Center will guide visitors through different stories and themes in York City and County’s African American history. The auditorium will be available for special presentations, performances, and community gatherings.
“This will be a place to really celebrate,” Dittenhafer says. “It’s not to be a dry, depository of things and documentation, but a place that celebrates and acknowledges the accomplishments in a variety of realms.”
The history held within the facility will be displayed in a variety of ways. A news reel could possibly show footage of the 1968 racial confrontations against a wall or along a stairwell, putting the realities of history in the viewers’ face. A cascading stair isn’t just a way to get from one section of the building to another but becomes part of the stories told.
A rooftop deck will not just provide a beautiful view of York City but can be a place to storyboard community and point out where certain events took place. It becomes a stage for sharing memories and points of York City African American history.
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The space is also designed to showcase and celebrate Black artists. The first and second floor and different sections of the building will all be connected, to layer experiences and not just send visitors from room to room. Rather, the layout builds upon the information and stories, so people are emotionally drawn into the history, rather than through an academic or stagnant presentation.
“I sensed the momentum for this facility was significant from the start,” Dittenhafer says. “It will be a place where Crispus Attucks and the African American community can take ownership of these stories, to host events and speakers and cultural experiences all year long.”
Dittenhafer sees the building as an outward expression of the pride Simpson conveys in telling this version of York’s history. Rather than become a stagnant chamber of the past, it will be a bright beacon of the future, knowing that the community can accomplish great things by remembering history.
Jury comments
A jury of Architects from Washington, D.C., provided the following comments on the African American History Museum design:
• “This compelling museum proposal for an urban site grabbed our attention as a new cultural destination for the city.”
• “The folded corner of the façade is a strong and striking visual gesture that creates a memorable image for the building.”
• “The jury appreciated the skillful way the extensive program fits into a compact footprint.”
• “There is a successful integration of diverse materials, including metal panels, which bring texture and character to the interior and exterior of the building.”
• “An elegant procession takes the visitor up the main staircase and through a dynamic interior spatial sequence. Skylights at the roof fill the spaces with natural light. Various sizes and shapes of windows allow for unique views from each space back out to the city.”
Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects took on the Architecture, Interior Design, & Overall Project Management for the new Bedford Elementary School, and the outcome is impactful.