A-Infos (en) The Struggle for the African-American Heritage Museum and Cultural Center Heats Up!

[Greg Jackson <gda7@yahoo.com>]

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A Very Brief History and Update on the Struggle for the
African-American Heritage Museum and Cultural Center.

1983-The African community blocks the construction of a police
precinct on near the corner of 23rd Ave. and Yesler in Seattle's
Central District by occupying the property. The community had demanded
an African museum and cultural center instead of a police jail house.
Reluctantly, the city supported the development of the
African-American Heritage Museum and Cultural Center.
After four years of occupying the site, the police were unable to
build the precinct.

1985-The Seattle Public Schools closes the old Colman School in order
for Interstate 90 to be built. Activists take over the building to use
as the site for the museum.

1996-Bob Flowers, senior vice-president of Washington Mutual Bank
becomes board chairman, as an agent of negro mayor Norm Rice. He
brings with him Pat Chandler, a former employee of the City of
Seattle's Department of Neighborhoods and private advertising
consultant, as "program director". Her selection as program director
was done without the consent of the full board. The museum moves into
the portable on the school playground that currently houses the museum.

1997-The Youth Action Committee puts on Umoja Fest '97: The African
Heritage Festival and Parade. The festival draws close to 20,000
people over three days. The grassroots begin to run programs out of
the museum site. 

This same year King County and the State of  Washington ignores a "NO"
vote of the state's voters and begins construction of a $400 billion
dollar baseball stadium in downtown Seattle.

1998-The Youth Action Committee and grassroots board members,
including founder Omari Tahir, challenge and question Bob Flowers
about financial mismanagement of museum funds along with several
conspiring board members. The city of Seattle holds on to the $250,000
they usually give the museum each year because of the conflict with
Bob and Co.; namely that Bob is NOT in control of the project on their
behalf. The city also cuts a check to Bob for $34,000 to be used as a
down payment on the old Colman school. Despite the board resolution of
December, 

1997, and despite the fact that he now has the money, Bob REFUSES to
make the down payment. In addition, he refuses to pay the $400/month
rent on the portable. To this day Bob continues to sit on the money as
leverage against the board, the grassroots supporters, and the
founder. Continuing their historic role as the spokespersons for big
business and big government, the local mainstream media turns a blind
eye to the museum struggle.

April 21, 1998-The AAHM&CC receives its first eviction notice from the
Washington State Department of Transportation. This notice states that
we have until May 1st to answer the notice. 

April 23, 1998-The AAHM&CC receives a SECOND notice which states that
we must be out by April 29th or be removed by officers from the King
County Sheriff's Office. The occupation of the 1980's continues.

May 4-The AAHM&CC tells King County Court that they want the same
support from the city, county, and state that was given to the $400
million dollar Mariners baseball stadium and multi-millionaire Paul
Allen's football stadium project. The judge upholds the eviction,
ignores Washington State law, and denies the museum an appeal. The
re-occupation intensifies.

May 11-Supporters of the African-American Heritage Museum and Cultural
Center occupy the King Council chamber and the office of the King
County Executive Ron Simms demanding that the county fund the museum:
as they did for 65 other cultural centers, the Mariners baseball
stadium ($400 million), and the parking garage for Nordstrom's
department store ($20 million). The Nordstrom's project also received
money from federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) money; money
that was supposed to go for low-income housing.

Today-WE'RE STILL HERE! The African-American Heritage Museum and
Cultural Center continues to do programming and continues to hold fast
to the property and the buildings on it. Programs include little
league baseball, martial arts, homework center, foreign language,
youth apprenticeship programs, and MORE.

But we can only continue with YOUR HELP! We have protests at the King
County Council (516 3rd Ave.; 12flr) EVERY MONDAY at 8:00am. We also
have a barbecue EVERY SUNDAY at 3pm. JOIN US AT BOTH.

Location: 1501 25th Ave. South (25th Ave. and South Massachusetts).
Mailing Address: 2306 E. Madison  Box #119; Seattle, Wa. 98122. USA.
Phone: (206) 320-9321 office. (206) 324-4289 voice mail.
Email: bd982@scn.org

=====================================================================

Politicians and Organizations to contact:

Mayor Paul Schell
mayors.office@ci.seattle.wa.us

Governor Gary Locke
Governor.Locke@Governor.wa.gov

President Clinton
president@whitehouse.gov

United Nations
ecu@un.org

Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn
dunnwa08@mail.house.gov

Seattle City Council
richard.conlin@ci.seattle.wa.us
richard.mciver@ci.seattle.wa.us
peter.steinbrueck@ci.seattle.wa.us
tina.podolowski@ci.seattle.wa.us
nick.licata@ci.seattle.wa.us
NickELT@aol.com

King County Executive Ron Simms
ron.simms@metrokc.gov

King County Councilman Larry Gossett
larry.gossett@metrokc.gov

Also, call Kerry Killinger at (206) 461-3139. Killinger is Bob’s boss
at Washington Mutual Bank. Currently, Washington Mutual is in the
process of a 9 million dollar merger with a California bank. We have
opposed the merger and filed papers against it. Call Kerry and tell
him to FIRE Bob immediately and cough up some community development
money for the museum. In addition, tell him that you too will oppose
the merger and will call upon people to close their accounts with his
bank unless Bob is fired. If you have an account there, close it and
tell them why.

And call Joe Gray at (206)353-7461. Mr. Gray is the boss of Bob
Luciano, the accountant who helped Bob mismanage museum funds. Give
him the same message that Killinger gets.

We also need money, non-perishable food items, bottled water,
gas-powered generators, flashlights, tools, and blankets. We intend to
hold down the institution and serve the community for as long as we
can and by any and all means necessary.

Greg Jackson,
Secretary; African-American Heritage Museum and Cultural Center.
Seattle, Washington. USA.













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