Black history exhibit featured at Sikeston Depot Museum

SIKESTON — To commemorate Black History Month, the local organization, Daughters of Sunset, has put together an exhibit at the Sikeston Depot Museum and Cultural Center which is on display throughout the month of February.

The exhibit features artifacts and history of local black people, businesses and organizations in Sikeston.

Mary White-Ross, a charter member of Daughters of Sunset, organized and set up this year’s exhibit at the Sikeston Depot, along with Rose Johnson and Jessie Lane, two other members.

According to White-Ross, the Daughters of Sunset started with a small group of people in 1984. 

White-Ross displayed photos of businesses once located in Sunset as well as awards, newspaper clips and other pictures.

White-Ross added that this year’s display includes a few new additions, one of which is her personal favorite: an original Nigerian dress. 

“This (dress) was given to me as a gift from my niece,” White-Ross said.

White-Ross added one of the awards on display is the Southwestern Bell Award, which the Daughters of Sunset received in 1988.

Older newspaper clippings are another new addition to the exhibit. Daughters of Sunset would cut out newspaper pieces of people who were recognized.

“Our organization used to highlight people from the community,” White-Ross said. “These are just groups of people we recognized.”

Lane agreed.

“We had a program in church where we would recognize them for all the things they had done for the community,” Lane said. 

According to White-Ross, the Daughters of Sunset have been putting together the Black History Month display at the Depot for the past eight years.

Lane said one of her favorite items on display is a photo album she created over the years, which contains pictures of black individuals from Sikeston. 

“Black History Month is important because it teaches young people about our past,” Lane said. 

The exhibit will be on display for the rest of the month. Sikeston Depot, located at 116 W. Malone Ave., is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.