Dora Nelson African American Art and History Museum
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
After being informed she was responsible for demolishing the structure that housed the first Black church in the city of Perris, Alberta vowed to research and learn of the remaining history of African Americans in the Perris Community and provide a place to preserve it. Her research revealed that Dora Nelson was born a slave, was a member of the first Black family in Perris and that she organized the first Black church, First Baptist Church, in the city of Perris. Dora had prayer meetings in her parlor and then in her back yard under a Chinaberry tree and finally in the structure that occupied the northeast corner of “7th” and “F” streets. Recognizing the significance of the church in the Black community and Dora’s contribution, Alberta decided to name the Museum for this unsung hero.