Efforts to create global awareness of Seneca treasures

Seneca leaders saw examples last night of the city’s new efforts to create greater awareness of a pair of treasures, for which the city takes pride.  One is the newly-completed Strickland Museum, Seneca’s official museum for African-American history.  The other, the collection of fine furniture and related valuables acquired by the city’s director of museums, Dr. John Martin.  Last night Shelby Henderson and Nick McKinney narrated website presentations which are designed to show off the city’s possessions to a global viewing audience.  McKinney said the website that displays professionally-taken photographs of 44 of the 2,100 pieces from the Scarborough-Hamer collection helps Seneca meet an obligation that, in exchange for receiving the collections, they must be shown publicly.  The city is storing the collections but, as yet, does not have a permanent museum for them.  Henderson, the manager of the Bertha Lee Strickland Museum on S. 2nd Street, says she senses a growing public interest, saying the museum this month will welcome a tour by more than 100 sixth grade students.