By Wyking Garrett:
Yesterday, November 23rd was African American Heritage Museum & Cultural Center @ Colman School Founders Day marking the 24th Anniversary of the occupation of Colman School to be a world class African American Heritage Museum & Cultural Center providing a center of youth, cultural and economic development in our community.
As you may have heard I received a hung jury mistrial in my fight against the phony charges of resisting arrest for my speech at the opening of African American Museum at Colman School. Yesterday I was back in court for retrial (read waste of time and taxpayer money) hearing.
It is our hope that the new mayoral administration, county Executive and other elected officials do not continue the insider dealing and corruption that have disenfranchised our community and produced the current youth violence crisis. We still need a world class cultural center to bring our youth in off the streets and aid them in developing a positive self identity and give them opportunities to realize their gifts through arts, technology and entrepreneurship.
A Brief History
Efforts to establish an African American Heritage Museum & Culture Center in Seattle began in 1969 and came to the forefront in 1981 when Omari Tahir-Garrett and Isaiah Edwards led a community based coalition in opposing the construction of a police precinct in the heart of Seattle’s historically black Central District, proposing a positive cultural institution instead. After successfully blocking the construction of the police precinct, the community turned it’s attention to the recently closed Colman school as the future home of the African American Heritage Museum & Cultural Center. When the mayor began to go back on his commitment to developing the museum, a dedicated few took action.
On the night of Nov. 23, 1985, the longest recorded act of civil disobedience in U.S. history began when Omari Tahir, Earl Debnam and a small group of concerned community members including Charlie James, Michael Greenwood and others, occupied the abandoned Colman Elementary School, demanding that the building be developed into the African American Heritage Museum & Cultural Center to prevent our youth from being victims of low self esteem, drugs, crime and violence.
The AAHMCC at Colman school was founded to be a world class cultural center featuring recording studios, film and video program, radio and television stations, performance hall, technology, arts, small businesses, and programs that would bring our youth in off of the streets to learn and develop their potential. It was also to serve as cultural and economic hub for the revitalization of Seattle’s black community.
Since that time Seattle’s elite white power brokers have orchestrated an immoral and illegal campaign to sabotage, undermine and prevent the development of a community controlled institution that would counter the planned ethnic cleansing of the Central District.
Using hired black faces to do the dirty work, they have used the Urban League as a front to turn the African American Cultural Center site into a real estate development with 36 Condominiums and a small art & history gallery that has not had any signficant impact on the serious problem of lack of positive cultural identity that results in self destructive activities of our young people.
If you believe that our community needs an institution dedicated to our healing, building, growth and development, join the national campaign to build a first rate African American Heritage Museum & Cultural Center by contacting 206.941.2527 or email info@aahmcc.org. For more info, go here.
Who to know, where to eat & what to do in one of America’s most diverse zip codes!
{ 18 comments }
“It is our hope that the new mayoral administration, county Executive and other elected officials do not continue the insider dealing and corruption that have disenfranchised our community and produced the current youth violence crisis. ”
Oh sure, it’s all the politician’s fault. Everything is always someone else’s fault. Way to take responsibility, and set a good example for the youth.
I couldn’t get beyond that opening statement. What a load.
While I fully support the work of many who work hard to create a vibrant set of businesses and services focused upon the African American community and its allies, I cannot support the ideas put forth in this article. When a writer starts talking about alleged “ethnic cleansing in the Central District”, I have to conclude this is irresponsible propaganda and not a personal opinion worth adopting. I for one will not be reaching out to this AAHMCC.
R. Laszlo doesn’t go far enough–Wyking didn’t just use the phrase ‘ethnic cleansing,’ but ‘planned ethnic cleansing.’ This is prima facie evidence of a paranoid disconnection from reality. And apart from being baseless nonsense, it’s dangerous nonsense. There are plenty of credulous fools out there who will buy the notion.
I find this article insulting and intentionally misleading and Y-king and his followers should be ashamed of themselves. There have been youth programs and the museum will continue to have them. I invite the community to come out and see the new exhibit “East by Northwest” an exhibit on the Ethiopian Community of Seattle. A 1st in the NW
I have been a volunteer at NAAM for over two years and I appreciate the commitment the museum has to our community.
the apartments above the museum are not condos, they are permanently low-income apartments for rent to the people of seattle. i appreciated the arguments put forth here, but wyking needs to fact check before hitting publish.
Dear RVP take a look at west seattle’s blog – they focus on real issues most of the time – is this news?
Sounds like sour grapes to me….
Regarding the Central District and “ethnic cleansing”: My grandparents bought their house there in the late ’40′s, mostly because it was one of the few places that black people could live in Seattle back then. It was a struggle for them: Granddad worked for the railroad, and Grandma – despite her education – had to clean rooms at the Olympic for a few years to make ends meet, but they paid off the mortgage and raised three kids in that house.
In those days, the CD was majority white, but soon white flight started to happen, and lots of people all but gave away their houses – or turned them into rentals. The neighborhood went downhill fast, and by the 70′s, it was a rough area – especially around where the I-90 lid is now.
But things started to look up in the 80′s, and have gotten better since then. So much better that a few years back my grandparents were able to clear almost a half million dollars on a house they paid seventeen thousand dollars on.
Thank God for that, because they have both had some health problems, and can no longer live independently. That money has allowed them to move to a nice assisted living facility, and has really improved their quality of life. Many of their neighbors in similar situations have also benefited from the real estate boom. Even most of their friends who are still in their home are able to get by, thanks to the low-income seniors discount on property taxes and utility rates.
So Wyking Garrett needs to turn down the rhetoric and realize that what has happened in the CD has benefited quite a few people who worked hard and played by the rules. Yeah, the neighborhood is changing, but it was changing when my grandparents bought there, and will undoubtedly change again. That’s what neighborhoods do.
@Laurie:
No, it’s not “news”, that’s why it’s marked as “opinion”.
Whether or not you agree with Wyking, he is a longstanding and respected community leader with a huge following, and his opinions – whether or not they make any of us uncomfortable, angry or whatever – represent a significant segment of our community, which is why I chose to share it with you.
Of course, you need not agree, but to dismiss the opinions of others as not “real” simply because they fail to represent something that’s important to you, is utterly ridiculous.
Lastly, with all due respect to WSB and it’s staff, who I appreciate beyond measure and am even inspired by, it has never been the goal of the RVP to model itself after that or any other neighborhood blog.
Rather, our challenge is to give voice to ALL our neighbors. Especially those who disagree, as vigorous debate is a hallmark of a civil and democratic society.
Yeah the W Seattle blog only does “hard” news. Like mapping what coffee shops are open today. Thank god SOMEONE has their priorities straight.
I support Wyking 100%! I appreciate the history he has shared in this story and for those of you who don’t want to look beyond the word “ethnic” without getting your panties in a bunch , I understand the truth is painful especially for those of you who love to live in denial.
Lauren seems to have the most well reasoned and intelligent perspective on this.
editor: in the spirit of giving a voice to ALL of our neighbors I would love to hear from someone that represents the museum and what they are doing to reach out to the youth community.
Last time I was there it was filled with several bus loads of children from different schools that were enjoying the programs and I very much enjoyed seeing some of the artwork from local African American artists that have had an impact on the national cultural scene as well as learning about local African American history.
I realize that this museum can not be all things to all people, no museum can, but this opinion piece seems very lop-sided factually misleading.
I think with gentrification,…it was good since is safer for the childrens & elderly.
@BeHi Bonsai: As we’ve stated numerous times, the RVP is a VOLUNTEER run site where everyone is welcome to submit posts for publication consideration (http://www.rainiervalleypost.com/?p=16422), so rather than ask me to spoon feed you, why don’t YOU get busy writing something or contributing in some other way?
The sense of entitlement coming from people who NEVER contribute to this site in any other way than to bitch about what’s not here gets old real quick.
The African American community needs and deserves a world class African American Museum & Cultural Center, a positive institution that address our unique cultural and socio-economic issues by harnessing the best of our tradition and current assets.
$25 Million (mostly tax dollars) well spent and properly leveraged could’ve made a significant impact in the African American community and the central and southend safer communities. Instead it benefitted a few while most barely know it exists and the negative culture of youth violence crisis continues to spiral putting us all at risk.
@All. Please identify the factual errors.
@givemeabreak…politicians make policies and allocate resources to the benefit or detriment of the people. One persons blessing may be another persons burden. Trillions going to war machine and not to schools and health care. $700 Billion to bail out predatory bankers that are now paying out record bonuses to managers. Another failed policy of the policymakers…Mandatory School Busing (or busting). I could go on but do I really need to?
I take responsibility and create positive alternatives to this social chaos that someone else has created every day. I do this as a single father of an Advanced Learning student, youth sports coach, volunteer in Seattle Public Schools for over 10 years at Rainier Beach High School and other schools helping many disadvantaged young men get to college, organizing positive community building events including the UmojaFest (www.umojafestnw.com), employing youth (and adults), creating organizations, inspiring and assisting others, engaging in electoral politics and just this last year turned two crack houses on 24th & Spring in the central area into the UmojaFest P.E.A.C.E. Center, a youth centered community cultural space which is currently housing programs displaced from Colman school by the Urban League Pillage/NAAM Scam. Go ask our postal worker neighbors who were terrified to even walk by the properties before the transformation, how much of a pleasant change we have created based upon love and commitment. This was done without guns nor capital or blessing of the “establishment”, just positive ideas, love, people power and cultural competency.
@crydonfacelift…not paranoid it’s called Urban Planning. Who’s reality am I not in touch with? I am one who actually takes time to attend some of the government sponsored lectures featuring architects and urban planners from across the nation talking about future plans for the city. Also, did you forget about redlining by banks and insurance companies and vice containment (or tolerance) areas. I guess that’s a figment of my imagination also. Please feel free to provide your theory of the serial African American institutional failures (or sabotage) such as S.O.I.C. (now state owned Seattle Vocational Institute), Liberty Bank (now Key Bank), Randolf Carter Center (now Catholic Community Services), Central Area Youth Association (Bingo Hall site now Casey Family Programs building and old Cotton Club that was supposed to be turned in to a youth recording facility but now an Seattle Housing Authority maintenance facility), Central Area Public Development Authority, African American Academy, to name a few.
@Wadiyah…I am not one bit ashamed for telling it like it is. A side by side comparison with Seattle Art Museum, Wing Luke Museum, EMP, Asian Counseling & Referral Services, El Centro, Daybreak Star, 2100 Building, Phinney Ridge Center, University Heights Community Center and your stale history gallery in the basement of the Urban League Pillage apartment building is pretty obvious.
How many youth/young adult apprentices from our community were employed to help build the facility? How much space is dedicated to youth development? Is there a recording studio? video production studio? Dance studio? Art studio? Fashion design center? youth business incubator? Performance space like the Vera Project? What space in that building can youth come to daily and become history makers of tomorrow? What opportunities is this creating for the youth in the streets? I’m sorry but busing kids in from school once a year leaves much to be desired.
Honestly, I think my own limited personal efforts employed/empowered more youth (over 50) this past summer alone than NAAM scam has in it’s entire existence. I understand that NAAM scam may satisfy your tastes and ambitions Wadiyah, but it failed miserably at meeting the needs of a community in crisis that it was established to address. How has it significantly impacted the issues of “Black on Black Violence” (a cultural issue) that has become a regional public safety issue and the socio-economic factors that produced it? A cultural center is a necessity not an aesthetic amenity for the African American Community still suffering from Post Traumatic Slavery Syndrome. I think you, like many are out of touch with the younger generations. It’s never too late to update and get with the future tho
@ktstine…I have read the contracts…the rental apartments are NOT permanent, they can be officially converted at anytime as long as certain government funding for housing is relinquished. The building is configured as a condominium development. NAAM scam is only a tenant of the building. Nothing is “permanent” as you claimed. Do you even know who owns the building?
@Lauren. That is great for your parents. I’m not going to debate anyones personal financial situation. My Grandfather was the first African American electrical engineer in the northwest, built a big house for his family, owned several properties in the CD and helped establish the only African American bank (the late Liberty Bank) in the CD. Yet and still, collectively, our “village” has not been strengthened by the displacement. I don’t see the cultural/economic base of the Asian community, Chinatown/Little Saigon changing hands anytime soon (didn’t they just put up Dragon Gate entrances as cultural markers?). Nor do I see the complexion of Broadmoore, Madison Park, Seward Park, Medina, Highlands, etc. changing much anytime soon.
Today is Black Friday. I wonder how much economic activity will be happening at Colman school today.
Editor, you are right. I’ve never contributed an article to RVP however I do write many articles and host several blogs and websites concerning south Seattle and I’m a very active member of my(and your) community. Thank your for posting RVP contributing guidelines, I appreciate your volunteer efforts and your willingness to host south Seattle news and opinions. But please don’t put me in the category of entitled people that NEVER contribute. You have actually motivated me and opened a door and I will contribute an article to you soon.
@Wyking, I appreciate your many good works that you do for the community and I agree with you that more could be done with NAAM concerning outreach to the community and youth programs. You have many good and thoughtful ideas.
What I am uneasy about your apparant need to discredit and disenfranchise the good work that NAAM is currently doing and the community that they are currently reaching out to. Your ‘facts’ are on shaky ground and I’m sad to see so much time and energy being spent on working against NAAM rather than trying to work with them.
Sorry, but this kind of sounds like “they didn’t do it my way” sour grapes.
To wit:
“It is our hope that the new mayoral administration, county Executive and other elected officials do not continue the insider dealing and corruption that have disenfranchised our community and produced the current youth violence crisis.”
So, because this museum was not opened and run in exactly the way you wanted, an epidemic of violence has erupted in the community? If you are saying your program ideas are better than the ones being enacted at NAAM, fine – go into the details of why that is, and how we can support superior programs to reduce youth violence.
Give some credit to the hundreds in Rainier Valley who are creating and running great programs for youth. They don’t have to be in NAAM to make a difference. I think having such a museum is a fine idea, but I don’t think it’s a magic wand to end every problem in the community.
If you want to see a successful program, look at Harlem Children’s Zone. I don’t think “museum-my-way” is part of their strategy.
@Wyking
Yes, I do understand that the two entities (apartments and the museum) are legally configured as condominiums. This is very typically done in mixed-use developments to separate the bottom from the top legally. It does not mean that the apartments are individually configured as condos that were for sale. Rather, low income housing tax credits were used to create the apartments for rent upstairs so they will be permanently affordable. Each public funder (I think City and State here) that contributed to rehabilitating the apartments has a long-term regulatory agreement on them (usually 50 years) which means they will never be flipped to condos. These funders do not allow the apartments to be flipped to condos. I do not know who the legal owner of these apartments are – I presumed it was the Urban League. I know that HRG manages them. The whole point of creating these apartments was to address the gentrification happening in the CD.
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