Sadie Roberts-Joseph, founder of an African-American history museum, found dead in the trunk of a car, police say

RED STICK – Sadie Roberts-Joseph's sister remembers her as a woman who has made things better – who was running the garbage cleaning in the neighborhood and repairing homes, who had started a group local to fight drugs and violence, who had founded an African-American history museum Joseph liked to tell everyone: "If you do not know where you come from, it's hard to know where you go."

The story of Beatrice Armstrong-Johnson was in the spirit of Sunday as she thought about the death of her 75-year-old sister. The police found the body of the leader and activist of the community – a prominent voice in order to make Juneteenth a state day and a national holiday in honor of the liberation of American slaves – in a safe Friday, about five kilometers from his home in Baton Rouge.

"She was a strong advocate of peace, love and harmony, and she died on the contrary," Armstrong-Johnson, 68, told The Washington Post on Sunday.

Police are investigating and ignoring the cause of death, the Baton Rouge Police Department said in a statement on Saturday.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner's Office will release the preliminary cause of death on Monday, Chief of Investigations Shane Evans told The Post.

The news of Roberts-Joseph's death has caused a wave of grief and disbelief among friends, family, and local officials familiar with his passionate advocacy for the preservation of African-American history.

Sadie Roberts-Joseph was found dead in the trunk of a car Friday in North 20th Street in Baton Rouge. (Matt McClain / The Washington Post)

The rain hit Kaufman Street on Sunday, where the sisters lived two doorways from one to the other.

A tree was knocked down on the dead end side, and sandbag doors were lined up to prevent flooding. The plants invaded Roberts-Joseph's front yard and a plaque listing the Ten Commandments was placed on a green veranda wall.

One more door, Debbie Magee mourned for her 13-year-old neighbor.

"She was the quintessence of good. She was defending something, "said Magee, while her 4-year-old son, Lorenzic, was playing at her feet. "She wanted to make sure that we would not be judged on the postal code in which we are."

Roberts-Joseph has deterred suspects on the street and has always had a fruit or children's toy in the Scotlandville community, Magee said. And she stayed so often near a local elementary school – handing out paper and pencils to kids – that you could confuse her with a ferry, Magee said.

"She did not deserve someone to take her life, then put her in a trunk and leave her there. It's not right, "said Magee, as tears filled her eyes. "She will be missed."

Roberts-Joseph's work puts her in touch with leaders such as former President Barack Obama and civil rights advocate Jesse Jackson, said his sister.

The Baton Rouge police said in a statement that Roberts-Joseph was a "tireless advocate" who worked with the department for everything from bike giveaways to his museum to the neighborhood organization that she had founded, the Community against Drugs and Violence (CADAV).

The Odell S. Williams History Museum, nowadays on African American History, founded by Sadie Roberts-Joseph. (Matt McClain / The Washington Post)

Another major element of Roberts-Joseph's legacy is his dedication to the African-American History Museum Odell S. Williams, which she founded in 2001 and which has benefited from volunteer help and donations. The Baton Rouge Museum has shed light on the history of blacks and has organized rallies for holidays such as Memorial Day, Kwanzaa and Juneteenth.

"It's exciting to see Juneteenth become more popular and popular during the second celebration of Independence Day in the United States," said Roberts-Joseph in 2002, when she was director of the Louisiana Juneteenth campaign.

The museum, which includes a brightly colored bus and paintings on its blue fence, is next to the Baptist Church where Roberts-Joseph's brother is a pastor. The museum is closed Sunday – but if a member of the services wanted to enter, Roberts-Joseph opened the space, said Armstrong-Johnson. She was there seven days a week.

The museum door was closed in anticipation of Hurricane Barry, and the mourners left flowers outside, with a sign saying "You're going to miss you."

Roberts-Joseph opened the museum with the collection of a former teacher of East Baton Rouge Parish, later adding exhibits on African art, African-American inventions and more , according to the lawyer, a local newspaper.

Then there were the community centers where Roberts-Joseph worked, running food banks and garbage collections, his sister recalled. There was CADAV, where she was president for years before going to work at a younger parent.

Roberts-Joseph may have met celebrities through his work but remained humble, said Armstrong-Joseph, and has always tried to mobilize help for the less fortunate.

"She has sought more resources than her own to help those in need," said Armstrong-Joseph. "She has never met from abroad. I do not care who you were, you were the same in his view. "

Armstrong-Johnson saw her sister for the last time when she came to cook bread around 10:30 am on Friday. His oven was broken, said Armstrong-Johnson.

Roberts-Joseph went to appointments, said Armstrong-Johnson, and never came back.

"Needless to say, the bread is still there," she said.

Knowles reported from Washington.

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