The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia.

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Photo Courtesy of Ferris University.

From a life sized replica of a lynching tree to the various depictions of African American women as mammies and Jezebels, the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia in Michigan opened Thursday to some raised eyebrows. According to the Huffington Post David Pilgrim, the founder and curator, started his collection as a teenager and says the museum housed at Ferris State University “is all about teaching, not a shrine to racism.”

The former sociology professor at the university–who is African American–started the collection in the 1970s and in 1996, Pilgrim donated his 2,000-piece collection to the school where it could be viewed by appointment. Pilgrim clarifies that while the artifacts are meant to incite and spark dialogue about racism against blacks in America, it also is meant to remind patrons that its presence is still evident today; currently on display is a tee shirt that reads, “Any White Guy 2012”.

The museum marked its opening April 26 and now exhibits over 9,000 pieces to the public.

For the full story, head over to the Huffington Post online.

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