By Savannah Wood
Afro Charities CEO
After a public groundbreaking ceremony in February for their historic Upton Mansion redevelopment project, Afro Charities is well underway on their transformative development. The site, vacant since 2006, will become the new headquarters for both Afro Charities and AFRO News, and the public research center for the historic AFRO Archives, which Afro Charities manages. The project will be renamed as the Martha E. Murphy Research Institute after the visionary 19th-century angel investor who helped found AFRO News.
The Upton Mansion, located in the 800 block of Lanvale Street, will be the future site of both the Afro Charities and the AFRO News teams, along with any other companies that choose to rent out space in the building. (AFRO Photos/ James Fields) 
A construction worker helps the Afro Charities mansion renovation come along. (AFRO Photos/ James Fields) 
Afro Charities is the non-profit sister company of AFRO News. The organization cares for and curates the AFRO Archives, which will have a permanent home at the Upton Mansion upon completion. (AFRO Photos/ James Fields)
Afro Charities is still actively fundraising to complete the $16M project, with more than $15M raised to date. The project is supported by a mix of federal, state and city grants, private foundation support, individual donors and both New Market and Historic Tax Credit equity. The project is expected to achieve substantial completion by August 2026, with a public opening slated for early 2027.
The one-acre campus will feature the restored historic mansion, a new annex, and beautifully landscaped grounds. Limited office space will be available for rent for aligned organizations. To learn more about leasing, visit https://bit.ly/4483OGm (case sensitive).
To contribute to this project, visit www.afrocharities.org/donate.