Sam Hatten is glad his alma mater, Attucks High School, has a museum to tell the story of his youth, with all its struggles and its victories.

He remembers football trips to the nearest black schools: Dayton, Ohio; Chicago; and Bowling Green, Ky. He remembers roadside stops because public restrooms were for whites only. He remembers staying in a funeral home because hotels were closed to blacks.

Hatten, a 1949 graduate, beamed with pride Monday as Indianapolis Public Schools reopened an expanded Crispus Attucks Museum to ensure that those days aren't forgotten.

"Some of the kids just don't know the struggles," he said. "So much of our history wasn't put in words or pictures; it was word of mouth."

New exhibits will put some of that history in words, said Robert Chester, the museum's curator. The museum focuses on African-American history, especially in Indianapolis.

As part of the renovation, the museum has put more historic records from the school on display and beefed up standing exhibits. A display on loan from Indiana University traces the evolution of traditional black music into today's pop music.

"We want to shed the concept of us being the best-kept secret in Indianapolis," Chester said. "It's keeping the museum fresh."