Bedford County African American Cultural Center picking up the pieces after costly vandalism

BEDFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Bedford County’s only African American Cultural Arts Center is still picking up the pieces after being vandalized last month — damage that adds up to thousands of dollars.

The Gilliland Historical Resource Center, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, preserves African American stories, artifacts, and documents from across Bedford County.

“It’s a collection of history, and it reflects the history of people who live here — African American Bedford County people who live here in Shelbyville,” said Rosie Biggs, the center’s secretary.

Normally, many of those artifacts sit safely behind glass. But last month, the display case — along with all the windows on the historic cabin — was shattered after someone broke in and vandalized the site