3. Southern University Metro Center and Museum of Art, 610 Texas St.

Established as a satellite campus in 1987, the Metro Center houses labs, classrooms, academic and administrative offices, a media productions studio, and the Southern University Museum of Art at Shreveport. The six-story, red brick building was built in 1919 by the Jacobs family, and the adjoining four-story Barrett Building was constructed in 1929 for use as a ladies’ specialty fashion store. In 1982, the two buildings were combined and renovated to create the existing structure. In 1992, the building was given the DSU Award for Preservation of Historic Architectural Buildings in Downtown Shreveport, Louisiana.

The Southern University Museum of Art at Shreveport, or SUMAS, opened in 2002. The museum collection includes several spectacular pieces of African art from the personal collection of Southern University System president, Dr. Leon Tarver, who sees the museum as a critical cultural link to the community. More than 300 pieces of African and African American art pieces can be found in the museum.

(See also #34).