The Truth Staff
The Sacred Steel Music and History Museum, by Del and Kelli Grace, which opened in 2024, celebrated a two-year anniversary on March 28, 2026, as guests were treated to museum tours, refreshments and a concert by dozens of musicians steeped in the steel guitar tradition.
The Museum was established in 2024 by the Graces as a tribute to the rich history of steel guitar music in the African American tradition. Located at 2108 Collingwood Blvd inside of the Collingwood Presbyterian Church, visitors can learn about 80 years of sacred steel music tradition as well as its founder, Mary Lena Lewis Tate.
“Sacred Steel music, predominantly performed in African American Pentecostal churches, represents a distinct genre within American folk music. Whether used in worship services or other musical settings, it is one of the most vibrant and significant contributions to Pentecostal musical heritage,” according to the Sacred Steel website.
Musicians honored this tradition on Saturday by bringing to life that history through song as the packed house joined in the celebration and showed their appreciation.
The Sacred Steel Music and History Museum includes artifacts, biographies and interviews with those who have been a part of that history, including notable performers such as Felton Williams, Jr, The Campbell Brothers, Calvin Cooke, Aubrey Ghent, among many others. The museum also includes audio and video recordings – interviews, concerts and documentaries.
“Two years ago we had a ribbon-cutting ceremony,” recalled Del Grace on Saturday as he kicked off the musical part of the program. The purpose of the museum, he said, is to pay tribute to “two powerful African American music cultures whose stories intertwine to form the heartbeat of our mission.”
Those cultures, he said are the Sacred Steel tradition, “borne in the sanctified church,” and the Toledo Quartet Musical Association.
“This legacy ought to live on,” said Del Grace.
The museum is open to visitors on Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – except the last Saturday of each month.
“This is the only museum of this kind in the US,” said emcee Angela Grace Russell, Del Grace’s sister, who was in town to join her family for the celebration.
Keep in mind that August is Sacred Steel Music and History Month in Toledo and a Sacred Steel Outdoor Festival will take place in August, featuring the living legends of the Sacred Steel tradition.