The Amistad Center for Art & Culture was established to celebrate and preserve the rich heritage and cultural contributions of people of African descent.
Housed at the Wadsworth, formerly known as the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, the center’s name was inspired by the self-liberated historical Amistad captives, who famously revolted for their freedom.
The founding of the Amistad Center was driven by a commitment to education, cultural understanding, and social justice.
The foundation supports exhibitions, programs, and collections that highlight African American art, history, and culture.
Founded in 1987, The Amistad Center for Art & Culture is a “museum within a museum” housed in The Wadsworth, the oldest continuously operating public art museum in America.
Visionaries that included Trustees and staff of The Wadsworth, joined forces with independent foundations, corporations and the State of Connecticut to form The Amistad Foundation to purchase, protect and provide public access to the Randolph Linsly Simpson Collection then housed in the farmhouse in Northford, Connecticut.
HISTORY
Our namesake, Amistad is based on the Spanish schooner La Amistad (Spanish for Friendship) who rose to fame in July 1839 Mende 53 people of Sierra Leone were captured by Spanish traffickers and illegally sold in violation of the European treaties against the Atlantic Slave Trade.
The captives emancipated themselves against the ship’s captain and later the Supreme Court of the United States decided in their favor to restore their freedom. This extraordinary collection celebrates that triumph and sheds light on the lived experience and imagination of the black diaspora.
With a new staff and dynamic board leadership, we fulfill our mission to honor, preserve, and celebrate the art and cultural contributions of all people of African descent in the community.
In addition to collection care and development, The Amistad Foundation was intended to take on the broader tasks of preserving and interpreting African American culture and history and correcting the misrepresentation and under-representation of this important aspect of our country’s evolution.
The Amistad Foundation, now known as the Amistad Center for Art & Culture, begins with a collection and a dream. Dr. Sandy and Diane Cloud dreamed up this institution as it exists currently with a profound love of expanding access to African American history of resilience, culture, and art in the Harford community.
The first donation following the Simpson collection was work from Coretta Scott King. The collection has progressively grown and now consists of 7,000 works of art, artifacts and archives, documents more than 300 years of the artistic, literary, military, enslaved and free life of Blacks in America. The collection holdings of the Amistad Center are truly a treasure and a rich resource of immense educational value and testimony to America’s diverse and dynamic culture.
Francine Austin is an entrepreneur, cultural strategist, executive producer, and the Founder and
CEO of Francine Entertainment & Marketing. Over the course of her career she has strengthened nonprofit organizations, built lasting philanthropic partnerships, and secured more than $1.6 million in funding for cultural, civic, and educational initiatives. A Hartford
native with deep community roots, she is known for her collaborative approach and her gift for
translating ambitious ideas into lasting impact.
Rodneyna M. O. Hart, a native of Louisiana, is a prominent figure in the museum industry. She holds a BFA in studio art and an MBA in Business from Louisiana State University’s Baton Rouge and Shreveport Campuses, endowing her with a versatile skill set. With close to 20 years of experience, she has occupied the roles of director of arts nonprofit organizations, exhibitions manager of museums, museum exhibitions designer and coordinator, gallery curator, public speaking, and DEI consulting. Hart currently holds the position of Deputy Director at the Amistad Center for Art & Culture, where she endeavors to aid the Executive Director and the Amistad team in executing programs, forging partnerships, curating exhibitions, and spearheading other initiatives that align with their educational mission.
Before assuming her current role, Hart served as the Museum Division Director for the Louisiana State Museum system, overseeing four museums throughout the state. Her executive roles on various boards of directors underscore her steadfast dedication to fostering community engagement through enhanced access to arts, history, and cultural resources.
In 2017, Rodneyna was appointed to the Louisiana State Arts Council by the Governor, where she also represented the council on the Folklife Commission for Louisiana. Additionally, she was recognized as one of Baton Rouge Business Report’s Forty Under 40 in 2018 and received the prestigious Mercedes Benz Prize for her FU40 class. In March 2022, she was identified as “Who to Watch” by The Drum Newspaper, and in Fall 2021, she was celebrated as a ‘Game Changer Reshaping Louisiana Business Climate – Vital Vision: Innovator’ by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.
Bulaong Ramiz is a multidisciplinary educator, writer, and equity practitioner whose work sits at the intersection of history, community, and organizational transformation. With over 15 years of experience in education, non-profits, and the arts and culture sector, she brings both strategic insight and innovation to her role as Operations Manager at the Amistad Center for Art & Culture.
As a Black woman, Hartford native, and student of history, her work is grounded in a deep commitment to the legacy of Black cultural expression and community-rooted approaches to justice and liberation. With a professional foundation in higher education administration and identity-based center leadership, Dr. Ramiz has advanced institutional change efforts that strengthen the structures serving historically and systemically marginalized communities.
A writer, educator, facilitator, and social critic, Dr. Ramiz’s work emphasis organizational transformation rooted in values-alignment and operational excellence. Drawing on her training as a pianist and dancer as well as her work as a scholar-practitioner, she views art and cultural expression are essential vehicles for critical inquiry, memory keeping, and social change. She is particularly committed to uplifting and supporting art practices and cultural spaces that confront injustice and help us imagine new worlds.
Through her extensive background building and managing the internal processes for multiple organizations to her forward-facing community engagement efforts, Dr. Ramiz cultivates environments where individuals and communities can experience ease, expansion, and excellence.
Dr. Ramiz holds a BA in American Studies from Wesleyan University, an MS in Counselor Education from Central Connecticut State University, and an EdD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Kansas.
The Amistad Center for Art & Culture believes in the power of connecting K-12 students to the rich history and legacy of African Americans and people of African descent through object-based and inquiry-based learning.
Works of art, objects, and artifacts in our collection demonstrate the creativity of the culture, highlight the dark past of segregation and disenfranchisement, and celebrate the talent of artists of color.
The collection extends beyond visual arts, uplifting the humanity, compassion, and joy of the human spirit to foster empathy in students toward all mankind.
At the Amistad Center for Art & Culture, our core values guide everything we do. They reflect our commitment to inclusivity, innovation, and community engagement. These statements serve as the foundation for our initiatives, ensuring that we remain dedicated to fostering a diverse and welcoming environment for all.
At the Amistad Center for Art & Culture, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated and respected. We believe that embracing a wide range of perspectives enriches our community and enhances our ability to innovate and grow. We strive to ensure that our programs, exhibitions, and partnerships reflect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our audience, staff, and artists. By promoting equality and inclusion, we aim to create a space where everyone feels valued and empowered.
The Amistad Center for Art & Culture is committed to ensuring our website is accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. We strive to adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, aiming for Level AA compliance. Our goal is to make our content usable and accessible for all visitors. If you encounter any accessibility issues or have suggestions for improvement, please contact us.
© 2026 The Amistad Center for Art & Culture at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art.
