Construction of The Center for Black Excellence and Culture Begins in Madison
Construction of The Center for Black Excellence and Culture (655 W. Badger Rd.) began on Juneteenth, Wednesday, July 19 with a ground-breaking ceremony and celebration. A landmark destination that will affirm, inspire and advance Black excellence in Wisconsin and beyond, The Center will focus on providing resources and connections related to health and wellness, leadership and innovation, performing and visual arts and youth and families.
“Wisconsin has long needed a place to foster and celebrate Black excellence and experience,” said Rev. Dr. Alexander Gee, Founder of The Center for Black Excellence. “Black people have had a profound effect on the state of Wisconsin, and I am blown away by how the government, businesses, philanthropists and the broader community have supported Black leadership on this project. I am proud to be a Madisonian, a Wisconsinite, and it is healing and encouraging to be offered the opportunity to create this space, shaped by the Black community for the Black community.”
Set to open in Fall 2025, the $31 million building features three stories and 37,000-square feet of space on 3.5 acres, which will serve thousands of people every year. The floor plan includes two multi-purpose performance spaces, meeting and conference rooms, youth space, reading room, art gallery, coworking center for Black innovation, women’s center, Club Afrique, a rooftop patio, and more. Inspired by Gee’s mother, there will be an intergenerational space geared towards seniors to share their stories with young people and shape the next generation.
“When we look back in history, we don’t have to look back too far to see that the idea of cultural reinforcement isn’t new. For the Black community, we’ve done it before with the Harlem Renaissance and the creation of jazz, blues and gospel,” said Gee. “When connecting with Black people across the state, people repeatedly noted that there was no place to tell Black stories through drama, art, poetry, lectures, comedy and dance in a collective space. That’s just part of what we hope to do at The Center.”
Intending to be a national model, The Center will serve as an example to the broader nation for how to help the Black community thrive and reinvent itself through the proliferation of the storytelling and supporting of Black excellence in business, culture, art, and more in a space for the community to gather.
The Center has raised more than $28.5 million for construction of the building. The team encourages everyone who is able to make a donation to close the gap towards their $31 million goal, and to help them reach their separate $2 million goal to help fund the first year of operations. Supporters can make donations online.
“Though Wisconsin has a history of racial disparities and systemic inequalities, we want to build something to support a better Madison, a better Wisconsin,” said Gee. “Instead of watching people move to other states where Black culture is celebrated without limitation, we can make Wisconsin attractive by making Black contributions known in the state and across the world. Everyone will be welcome at The Center, but we will share Black stories in a way that will ripple through the community, because Black people are needed to continue to fulfill our state motto of “Forward.”
