Moody Nolan to design Poindexter Village African American Museum

A big piece of Columbus history is getting a new way to be told—and a Columbus-based design firm will help bring it to life.

The Ohio History Connection has picked Moody Nolan, the nation’s largest African American-owned architecture firm, to design the Poindexter Village African American Museum on Champion Avenue. The announcement came August 2 during the annual Poindexter Village Drum Circle, held at the future museum site at 290 N. Champion Ave.

The museum, set to open in 2028, will share the story of Poindexter Village—one of the first public housing projects in the U.S.—and how it shaped Columbus’ Black community after the 1940s. Visitors can expect powerful exhibits, interactive displays, and storytelling that tie together local history with the bigger picture of public housing and urban renewal across the country.

“This new museum will be an important resource for both the city of Columbus and the state of Ohio,” said Megan Wood, CEO of the Ohio History Connection.

Founded in Columbus in 1983, Moody Nolan now has 12 offices nationwide, but this project hits close to home. CEO Jonathan Moody says the design will connect the history of the neighborhood with the larger history of housing in America, while including recreations of Ohio housing styles.

The museum has been years in the making. Most of Poindexter Village’s 35 vacant buildings were torn down in 2013, and the James Preston Poindexter Foundation formed the next year to preserve its legacy. The Ohio History Connection acquired the final two buildings in 2016, securing the site for a permanent historical landmark.

Named for Rev. James Preston Poindexter—a local minister, activist, and community leader—Poindexter Village was dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on October 12, 1940.

When the museum opens, it will give visitors a chance to walk through the history of the neighborhood, learn about its people, and see how Columbus’ story fits into a much bigger national conversation.

About the Ohio History Connection:

The Ohio History Connection is a statewide history organization with the mission to spark discovery of Ohio’s stories. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization chartered in 1885, the Ohio History Connection carries out history services for Ohio and its citizens. This includes housing the State Historic Preservation Office and the official state archives and managing more than 50 sites and museums. For information, go to ohiohistory.org. The Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Columbus Foundation provide support for Ohio History Connection programs.