MBAD AFRICAN BEAD MUSEUM: About Us

ABOUT MBAD's AFRICAN BEAD MUSEUM ©

Take a Tour of Our Building

Our Story

Founded in 1985 by Olayame Dabls, in 1998 Mrs. Ardie Reddick donated a 17,500 sq. ft. building to Dabls to house his museum, cooperated in Michigan in1996, Michigan's first African American Art Museum founded by Dr. Leno Art Jaxon in 1971The American Black Artist and Michigan's first African bead museum "merged" on November 15, 1999.

Our Tax Exempt 501-C-3 status dates back 33 years. We are a major repository for African Sculptures, Textile, Pottery, Beads, Bead Works, Metal items,etc. From our inception, the museum has perceived it's objective as being primarily two-fold. First, we seek to preserve the cultural heritage of African people. Secondly, we are dedicated in fostering a greater awareness about the culture of Africa. Few would deny that the museum has succeeded in this remarkable extension of its mission.

We envision that the museum would become a major center for the research of educators, students, scholars and the general public. They all have access to our facilities. MBAD prides itself in having worked very closely with the community it serves. We have sponsored several programs, workshops, and exhibitions on a variety of bead topics, published a coloring book, and a CD. In addition, MBAD has an outreach program which brings it's exhibitions to those, who are unable to come to us.

We have perhaps the largest selection of African beads, Textiles and Sculpture in Michigan spanning over 300 years.
Hundreds of books, clippings from periodicals, magazines, pictures, letters which relate to and involve "Our Story".
We maintain a video, CD, cassette file on "Our Story".
We have made available to schools and institutions, information and loan items from our collection and provide exhibitions that travel across Michigan.
We have published flyers on different items from our collection and have prepared over 20 exhibitions during the past twenty years.
We are the only African Beads Museum with a sister museum in Accra Ghana The Oguns Bead Museum.
For the last ten years, local and national media have featured stories about us.

MBAD's AFRICAN BEAD MUSEUM © Incorporated July 19,1971
Tax Exempt 501(C)3 - Fed. Tax I.D. 38-1966730

About Dabls

Click here to view Dabl's biography

Click here to view "African Beads in Context"

Click here to view some facts about "Zulu Nation"

Click here for "African's Knowledge and Beliefs"

Click here to view Dabls' views on spelling and grammar



		ABOUT MBAD's AFRICAN BEAD MUSEUM © Take a Tour of Our Building Click here to view more photos Our Story Founded in 1985 by Olayame Dabls, in 1998 Mrs. Ardie Reddick donated a 17,500 sq. ft. building to Dabls to house his museum, cooperated in Michigan in1996, Michigan's first African American Art Museum founded by Dr. Leno Art Jaxon in 1971The American Black Artist and Michigan's first African bead museum "merged" on November 15, 1999. Our Tax Exempt 501-C-3 status dates back 33 years. We are a major repository for African Sculptures, Textile, Pottery, Beads, Bead Works, Metal items,etc. From our inception, the museum has perceived it's objective as being primarily two-fold. First, we seek to preserve the cultural heritage of African people. Secondly, we are dedicated in fostering a greater awareness about the culture of Africa. Few would deny that the museum has succeeded in this remarkable extension of its mission. We envision that the museum would become a major center for the research of educators, students, scholars and the general public. They all have access to our facilities. MBAD prides itself in having worked very closely with the community it serves. We have sponsored several programs, workshops, and exhibitions on a variety of bead topics, published a coloring book, and a CD. In addition, MBAD has an outreach program which brings it's exhibitions to those, who are unable to come to us. We have perhaps the largest selection of African beads, Textiles and Sculpture in Michigan spanning over 300 years. Hundreds of books, clippings from periodicals, magazines, pictures, letters which relate to and involve "Our Story". We maintain a video, CD, cassette file on "Our Story". We have made available to schools and institutions, information and loan items from our collection and provide exhibitions that travel across Michigan. We have published flyers on different items from our collection and have prepared over 20 exhibitions during the past twenty years. We are the only African Beads Museum with a sister museum in Accra Ghana The Oguns Bead Museum. For the last ten years, local and national media have featured stories about us. MBAD's AFRICAN BEAD MUSEUM © Incorporated July 19,1971 Tax Exempt 501(C)3 - Fed. Tax I.D. 38-1966730 About Dabls Click here to view Dabl's biography Click here to view "African Beads in Context" Click here to view some facts about "Zulu Nation" Click here for "African's Knowledge and Beliefs" Click here to view Dabls' views on spelling and grammar Dabls mission is to build and organize collection of beads, beadworks, textiles, sculptures and other culture relics which exemplify the range of material of African people. With this focus the Dabls is committed to presenting exhibitions, publications, public programming and serve as a resource for the community. Olayame Dabls--esteemed artist , museum curator, has lectured extensively on Africa culture and produced and hosted a radio program on WNEC4 1978 to 1981, by line for the Michigan Chronicle 1978 to 1981. he was the curator/Artist-in-residence at the Museum of African American History 1973 to 1982 and Executive Director at the Rosa Parks Arts Center 1982 to 1984. He is a founding member and curator of the African American Sports Hall of Fame; Wayne county building, Dabls was a drafting instructor at Wayne County Community College 1975 to 1994 and Artist in Residence at the Detroit Psychiatric Institute 1985 to 1989. In 1983 Dabls and his wife open Dabls Perette's Gallery, the gallery became known all over the African world. He has received numerous awards and has been featured in articles in all of Detroit's' newspapers Dabls is marriage with four children, Davida, Alake, Bakari and Mekeda.