About Us

“A showcase to educate our youth on the heritage of African Americans here in Silicon Valley.”

On Sunday, November 23, 2008, just three weeks after Barack Obama became the President of the United States, San Jose opened then Heritage House (AAHH). The AAHH is a more than 145-year-old Italianate farmhouse that serves as a community center for various events such as community meetings, art exhibits, workshops, cultural events, festivals, and theatrical presentations, with the goal of educating young people about the heritage of African Americans in Silicon Valley. African America

The Zanker house, originally located on Zanker Road in Alviso, was built in 1868 as the home of F. William Zanker, his wife, and their eight children. The house is small but mightily stocked with local history, artifacts, and exhibits that tell the stories of African Americans in what became Silicon Valley.

The AAHH was the dream of Lula Briggs Galloway, former CEO of the National Association of Juneteenth Lineage, Inc. and founder of the Juneteenth Creative Cultural Center and Museum in Saginaw, Mich., which commemorated the emancipation of African American slaves. The AAHH is a memorial to Lula Briggs Galloway, a San Jose native who died just before the AAHH was dedicated.

Lula Briggs Galloway had a passion for preserving Black History. In 1990, Mrs. Galloway, a paralegal, began hosting Juneteenth festivals in Saginaw, Michigan. In 1997, as President of the National Association of Juneteenth Lineage, she convinced members of Congress to recognize Juneteenth with a joint resolution. The bill’s Senate sponsor, Trent Lott of Mississippi had formerly opposed a civil rights amendment ending mandatory racial exclusion within his fraternity and was a frequent speaker at the white supremacist group Council of Conservative Citizens.

Nearly a decade later, Mrs. Galloway erected a monument honoring Stevie Wonder in Saginaw, his hometown. She established the Juneteenth Creative Cultural Center and Museum and was the author of Juneteenth: Ring the Bell of Freedom. She founded the Juneteenth Creative Cultural Center and Museum in Saginaw, Michigan, and organized Juneteenth festivals in the 1990s. She even convinced members of Congress to recognize Juneteenth with a joint resolution in 1997, despite opposition from individuals with a history of racism. In 2013, the U.S. Senate passed Resolution 175, acknowledging Briggs Galloway’s tireless efforts to bring national recognition to Juneteenth Independence Day.

The African American Heritage House in San Jose, California, is a memorial to Galloway, who passed away just before the community center was dedicated in late 2008. The African American Heritage House is a testament to her legacy and the importance of honoring African American history.

Explore the remarkable stories of California's Black History, from the establishment of early churches and social organizations.

Pictured are some of the founding members of the Garden City Women's Club, which was established in 1908 and remains an important part of San Jose's black community.

Early Black Church established in 1879.

The black population in Santa Clara County was small around the turn of the century. San Jose being an agricultural town, “black people mostly worked as farmers, laborers, gardeners, porters, waiters, barbers and cooks.” (History of Black Americans in Santa Clara Valley, Garden City Women’s Club)

The 1879 San Jose City Directory lists First AME Zion Church as being at Fourth and San Antonio Streets and “the only religious organization among the colored people of the city.” Reverend A. Stephans was listed as pastor in that year.

1898 saw the arrival of Dr. D.W. Boyer and Elizabeth P. Boyer. Dr. Boyer ranks among the leading professional men of the place, having conducted an expert massage parlor. His wife, Elizabeth, was the founder of the Garden City Women’s Club and served as president until 1911.

Find out more about this topic and others during a visit to the AAHH…