BESSIE SMITH CULTURAL CENTER AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM &

EIN 62-1247459 CHATTANOOGA, TN

Revenue 2024: $659,763
Expenses 2024: $671,326

Program services were 61.8% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection: 03
NTEE code: A500
Classification: 1000
Street: 200 E MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

TO BE THE PREMIER INTERDISCIPLINARY CULTURAL CENTER THAT PROMOTES EDUCATION AND ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE.

PROVIDED HISTORICAL AND TECHNICAL RESOURCE MATERIAL FOR ALL SCHOOLS IN THE CHATTANOOGA/HAMILTON COUNTY, TN AREA. MAINTAINED A COMPREHENSIVE LIBRARY AND DISPLAYED EXHIBIT MATERIALS.

Expenses $414,576

As filed on the 2024 return.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

Paula Wilkes

Executive Dir.

Total calculated

$89,578

From this org

$89,578

From related orgs

$0

Other

$0

Hours/week

40
Yusuf Hakeem

Chairman

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Avery Smith

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
James W Cole

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Dr Jeff Rector

Chair

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Elizabeth Appling

Secretary

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Ariel Anthony

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Bob Culkeen

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
John Franklin Jr

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Brent Goldberg

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Maurice Lewis

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Tara Mathis

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Chris Palmer

Treasurer

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Varion Walton

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Bernard Harris

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Yolonda Hayslett

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Mara-Lynne Payne

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Wayne Johnson

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

2024

Revenue

$659,763

Expenses

$671,326

Contributions

$372,853

Grants paid

$0
2022

Revenue

$728,503

Expenses

$726,467

Contributions

$506,561

Grants paid

$0

Tax year	Revenue	Expenses	Contributions	Grants paid
2024	$659,763	$671,326	$372,853	$0
2022	$728,503	$726,467	$506,561	$0

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

2021 · 990

Revenue

$800,408

Expenses

$769,640

Assets (EOY)

$658,145
2020 · 990

Revenue

$883,157

Expenses

$722,342

Assets (EOY)

$630,202
2019 · 990

Revenue

$538,513

Expenses

$650,966

Assets (EOY)

$518,121
2018 · 990

Revenue

$664,300

Expenses

$647,475

Assets (EOY)

$573,863
2017 · 990

Revenue

$705,687

Expenses

$631,611

Assets (EOY)

$556,149
2016 · 990

Revenue

$448,505

Expenses

$457,214

Assets (EOY)

$481,539
2015 · 990

Revenue

$370,247

Expenses

$449,574

Assets (EOY)

$489,273
2014 · 990

Revenue

$465,004

Expenses

$544,447

Assets (EOY)

$449,793
2013 · 990

Revenue

$572,644

Expenses

$646,962

Assets (EOY)

$529,898
2012 · 990

Revenue

not reported

Expenses

$532,193

Assets (EOY)

$596,879

Tax year	Form	Revenue	Expenses	Assets (EOY)
2021	990	$800,408	$769,640	$658,145
2020	990	$883,157	$722,342	$630,202
2019	990	$538,513	$650,966	$518,121
2018	990	$664,300	$647,475	$573,863
2017	990	$705,687	$631,611	$556,149
2016	990	$448,505	$457,214	$481,539
2015	990	$370,247	$449,574	$489,273
2014	990	$465,004	$544,447	$449,793
2013	990	$572,644	$646,962	$529,898
2012	990	not reported	$532,193	$596,879

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all. Showing the 10 most recent; the API carries the rest.

Grants made

No itemized grants to organizations. Schedule I is filed only by organizations that granted more than $5,000 to a recipient, so most filers have none.

Grants received

GREATER CHATTANOOGA SPORTS & EVENTS COMMITEE

$21,250

2022 SUPPORT
FOOD CITY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC

$15,000

2023 SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE CHARITY
FOOD CITY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC

$15,000

2025 SUPPORT THE MISSION
FOOD CITY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC

$15,000

2024 SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE CHARITY
FOOD CITY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC

$12,500

2022 SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE CHARITY
GREATER CHATTANOOGA SPORTS & EVENTS COMMITEE

$6,250

2023 SUPPORT

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 29 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.