Located in the heart of the Parker-Gray Historic District, the Alexandria Black History Museum documents the contributions of African Americans to Alexandria's history and culture from 1749 to the present. The building that today houses the Museum was constructed in 1940 as the Robinson Library, the African American community's first public library. The Watson Reading Room is a non-circulating research repository focusing on issues of African American history and culture. The Museum offers exhibitions, lectures and special events throughout the year.