Beginning November 1, 2026, and running through February 21, 2027, Mount Zion Black Cultural Center will present Queens of the Heartland as part of its grand reopening. This premiere exhibition features works on loan from the National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center in Wilberforce, Ohio, and highlights influential Black women of the Midwest, including Toni Morrison.
Housed in Athens’ first Black church, the Center has undergone a $7 million rehabilitation to become a community space celebrating Black and Appalachian culture. The exhibition will be open weekends only, from 1:00–4:00 PM, with admission priced at $5 per person.
This exhibition is part of the statewide Beloved: Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison initiative honoring Morrison’s life, literature, and legacy.
