ST. LOUIS – February is Black History Month, and St. Louis is dedicated to preserving and sharing stories of African Americans who helped shape our city and nation.

The Griot Museum of Black History, located in Old North St. Louis, dedicates their mission to sharing rich history, culture, and experiences.

“There are lots of wax museums in the country, but none of them…do not deal with history in the way that we do,” museum founder Lois Conley said.

The Griot Museum of Black History delivers a powerful exploration of the past through life-sized figures, artifacts, and interactive exhibits. It has been sharing stories of historic figures—like Dred Scott, Miles Davis, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Josephine Baker—since 1997.

“We start, of course, with Africa because we think we have to paint that picture of how Africans came to this country in general. Then, the stories evolve around enslavement and freedom and the reconstruction of the Middle Passage,” Conley said. “We did a lot of research and wrote up the narratives to explain the life and legacy of that person.”

The museum is the first Black history museum in Missouri, hosting special programs, guided tours, storytelling sessions, and discussions of St. Louis’ role in civil rights history. Visitors say it is a must-see.

“I’m always comfortable saying, ‘I don’t want you to know everything that’s in this room or in this space—I want you to know something different.’ If you learned one thing different that you didn’t know when you came, I’m happy,” Conley added. “That’s my goal: to make one small difference with one person.”