About Us

Mission Statement

The mission of the Black Prairie Blues Museum is to inspire generations of blues lovers, old and new, through preserving, educating, performing, and celebrating the history and culture of the blues with an emphasis on the rich Black Prairie Region.

Vision Statement

The Black Prairie Blues Museum strives to keep the blues alive by providing unique learning experiences through interactive exhibits, educational programs for all ages and abilities, and a place for creativity to thrive. Inspiring artists, musicians, historians, and patrons alike through the blues of the Black Prairie. With its central location at the historic bank in downtown West Point, the Black Prairie Blues Museum will serve as a multi-use space becoming a central cultural hub for the greater Mississippi area and the historic Black Prairie.

History of the Prairie Belt Blues Foundation

The Prairie Belt Blues Foundation and the Black Prairie Blues Museum were founded when the Howlin’ Wolf Blues Society of West Point, Mississippi, felt that its mission to promote blues education and the achievements of West Point area blues musicians should be passed to a new foundation. The Howlin’ Wolf Blues Society had been founded in 1995 by West Point Mayor Kenny Dill and Dr. Joe Stevens and established the Howlin’ Wolf Memorial Blues Festival as its principal fund raiser. In 2014 the Prairie Belt Blues Foundation was founded as a 501(c)3 nonprofit foundation to assume the mission and projects of the Howlin’ Wolf Blues Society including the annual blues festival. The new foundation was established with Milton Sundbeck President and a board composed of James Hahn, Beverly Norris, Richard Ramsey, Becky Shirley and Rufus Ward. Through, Sundbeck’s leadership, commitment, and generosity the foundation obtained and is restoring the historic Bank of West Point building in downtown West Point, Mississippi, as the Black Prairie Blues Museum. The foundation expanded its focus from principally promoting the legacy of Howlin’ Wolf and area blues musicians to a celebration of the heritage of the many blues musicians of the old Black Prairie region of Mississippi and Alabama. The Howlin’ Wolf Memorial Blues festival became the Black Prairie Blues Festival and continued until its interruption by the onset of Covid. In furtherance of its mission to celebrate and promote the heritage of the blues, the foundation has used the museum as a venue for performances of blues music and for blues related educational activities for young people. The museum exhibits are in the formative stage while curator Jeremy Klutts organizes its collections and the board works with Museum Arts of Dallas Texas, on exhibit design and layout. However, the creative leadership of Deborah Mansfield has enabled the interior of the museum to be used for community events promoting blues heritage for young and old alike as design plans progress. Though the exhibits are not yet in place the Black Prairie Blues Museum is a living working museum promoting the legacy of the blues musicians of the old Black Prairie of Mississippi and Alabama.