CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CRM VOLUME 22 NO. 8 1999
Diversity
and Cultural Resources
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service Cultural Resources PUBLISHED BY THE VOLUME 22 NO. 8 1999 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Contents ISSN 1068-4999 Information for parks, federal agencies, Indian tribes, states, local governments, and the private sector that promotes Diversity and Cultural Resources and maintains high standards for pre serving and managing cultural resources Foreword 3 A Multicultural Melting Pot DIRECTOR Robert Stanton Robert Stanton in Ketchikan, Alaska 27
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Imagining a Richer Tapestry 4 Making a Difference, Making CULTURAL RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP Katherine H. Stevenson It Happen 28 AND PARTNERSHIPS Louretta C. Wimberly Katherine H. Stevenson Enlivening the Study of History — EDITOR Teaching With Historic Places 5 Booker T. Washington—The Man Ronald M. Greenberg Beth Boland and His Landscape 31 Cari Goetcheus ASSOCIATE EDITOR Heritage, History, and Hurston— Janice C. McCoy Eatonville within the Preservation Recording Decorative Artwork at the GUEST EDITORS Movement 6 Aquatic Park Bathhouse, San Francisco Antoinette J. Lee N. Y. Nathiri Maritime NHP 34 Moriba N. McDonald Dana Lockett Bradley Finfrock,Editorial Assistant The Alamo's Selected Past 9 Holly Beachley Brear Sargent Johnson (1887-1967) 35 ADVISORS Ted Miles David Andrews In the Cradle of Creole Culture 12 Editor, NPS Joan Bacharach Carla F. Cowles Climbing Jacob's Ladder—Creating a Museum Registrar, NPS Professional Museum Partnership 36 Randall J. Biallas Historical Architect, NPS "To Follow Truth Wherever it May William W Gwaltney John A. Burns Lead"—Dealing with the DNA NPS Diversity Web Page 38 Architect, NPS Controversy at Monticello 13 Hany A Butowsky Harry A. Butowsky Historian, NPS Daniel P. Jordan Pratt Cassity Preserving HBCUs for Executive Director, The National Association of Colored National Alliance of Preservation Commissions Future Generations 39 Women's Clubs 15 Muriel Crespi Cecil N. McKithan Cultural Anthropologist, NPS Doug Stover MaryCullen Helping Grassroots Preservationists Director, Histor^a] Services Branch Angel Island Immigration Station— Parks Canada Emerge in the Field 41 Mark Edwards Immigration History in the Middle of Sierra Neal and Jonathan Sanchez Executive Director, D.C. Preservation League San Francisco Bay 16 Roger E. Kelly Daniel Quan Archeotogist, NPS Jazz Club at Rossonian Hotel in Antoinette J. Lee Denver, Colorado 44 Historian, NPS Stonewall—An Icon in Gay History— Recognized by the National Register ... 19 ASSISTANT Understanding Diversity in the Stephen A. Morris Denise M. Mayo National Park Service—Point of View .. .45 Moriba N. McDonald Planning for Jazz 20 John Paige and Mary McVeigh Diversifying the Cultural Resources Profession 47 Port Gamble, Washington—Managing Antoinette J. Lee Cultural Diversity on Puget Sound ... .23 Jan Eakins
An electronic version of this Cover: Left, poems carved by Chinese detainees in detention barracks on Angel Island, see story issue of CRM can be accessed p. 16; top right, the Rossonian Hotel welcomed a racially-mixed clientele of music performers and audiences, photo courtesy Black American West Museum, see story p. 44; bottom right, sehoritas through the CRM homepage at on a balcony illustrate the cover of Teaching with Historic Places, see story p. 5.
Statements of fact and views are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect an opinion or endorsement on the part of the editors, the CRM advisors and consultants, or the National Park Service. Send articles and correspondence to the Editor, CRM, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Cultural Resources, 1849 C Street, NW, Suite 350NC, Washington, DC 20240; 202-343-8164, fax 202-343-5260; email:
2 CRM No 8—1999 Foreword
he National Park Service holds in trust many of the nation's preeminent nat ural, cultural, and recreational treasures. We manage nearly 380 units of the national park system and cooperate with partners to preserve resources beyond park boundaries. The National Park Service is pleased and honored to have assisteTd thousands of communities in their efforts to preserve their cultural heritage through our cultural resources partnership programs. In the management of the national parks and national programs, we are everyday reminded of the role of so many cultural groups that made their mark on the nation's history. This human story spans the living traditions of today's Native Americans to those who came to America from Africa, Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world. It encompasses the places associated with great national leaders, such as Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as important surviving communities, such as the Nicodemus National Historic Site and places such as Manzanar National Historic Site, where we can contemplate the fragility of con stitutional rights when society's fabric is stressed. In order to do our important job for this and future generations, our staff must represent all segments of American society. Our parks and programs also must reflect and serve all of the American people. To achieve these goals, the National Park Service has adopted a Diversity Action Plan. This holistic plan is directed at increasing diversity within our workforce; improv ing our interpretive programs and materials; educating our employees, partners, and members of communities adjacent to our parks; and integrating diversity into the daily operations of the National Park Service. The workplace is a key component in fostering diversity. Diversity focuses on inclusion of employees, not exclusion. It encompasses more than the differences in race, national origin, handicapping conditions, age, gender, religion, and sexual orientation. It includes the different values, cultures, and perspectives that individuals in different groups pose. Fostering a positive work environment with opportunities for advancement, training, and challenges will enhance the mission of the Service, benefit the employees, and enrich our parks and programs. Without a diverse workforce, our national heritage will suffer from a lack of broad perspectives. As part of our educational efforts in this area, we are pleased to publish this special issue of CRM on diversity in cultural resources work. Cultural resources programs are a powerful force for attracting diverse persons to participate in the protection of our nation's heritage. The essays in this issue illustrate some of the creative and challenging work that is taking place in our national parks and in our communities nationwide. We are proud of the Service's role and that of its partnership organizations in transforming the narrative of American history.
Robert Stanton Director National Park Service
CRM No 8—1999 3 Katherine H. Stevenson Imagining a Richer Tapestry
he historic preservation/cultural dinating preservation and education efforts resources field in America is nationwide and integrating local historic places unique in the world for many associated with the Underground Railroad into a reasons. One of its most distinc mosaic of community, regional, and national sto tive facetTs is the prominent role that cultural ries. We offer technical assistance on document diversity plays in many aspects of heritage preser ing Underground Railroad sites, will provide dis vation work. This is because of the way in which tinctive plaques to identify properties related to the United States was, and continues to be, set this historical theme, and have developed a web tled and developed—creating a rich tapestry of site and travel itinerary on the topic. buildings, settlements, and art forms. Nearly The demographics of the historic preserva everywhere, one can see and interpret the imprint tion/cultural resources profession is another chal of America's ethnic and cultural groups on the lenge. The professions that work in this area— landscape. historians, archeologists, architects, curators, and The National Park Service is proud of the others—are woefully lacking in minorities who role that its national parks and national historic can greatly enrich decision-making about our preservation programs plays in preserving and cultural heritage. Without a greater participation interpreting ethnic history. We list traditional of diverse professionals, our field will become cultural properties associated with American marginalized because the increasingly diverse Indians in the National Register of Historic population will view it as unrelated to their cul Places. We administer the federal Historic tural heritage needs. To meet this challenge, the Preservation Tax Incentives that produce housing National Park Service's Cultural Resources in rehabilitated historic buildings in many ethnic Diversity Initiative was established in late 1998. neighborhoods. We document ethnic-related his The Diversity Initiative is described elsewhere in toric properties through the Historic American this publication. Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering The last challenge I wish to address here is Record, the National Historic Landmarks Survey the need to uncover and interpret the many Program, and the Archeology and Ethnography untold stories associated with historic places, program. We develop lesson plans and travel itin including units of the national park system. eraries to teach young people and adults about When we interpret a Civil War battlefield site, we important events, places, and themes associated should do more than talk about military strategy. with the nation's cultural groups. We ought to address the institution of slavery as While we can be pleased with the tremen the root cause of this war. When we look at a dous advances that the national historic preserva plantation house, we need to cover more than the tion program has made in this area, there are still role of the state's "leading families" and the life additional challenges before us. We hope to enlist they led. We need to include the role of African your support and involvement in them. Without American slaves and servants who built and your interest, the field will not capture the imagi maintained the property. When we look at an nation of the American people, and consequently, immigration station on the West Coast, we we will not be as successful in preserving the should talk about more than monumental gov nation's cultural heritage as we have been in the ernment architecture. We need to talk about the past. Asian immigrants who came to America to seek a The Underground Railroad Preservation better life. We know that there are many more and Education Initiative is now underway, thanks examples of these interpretation needs. We are to seed funds from the U.S. Congress. Through taking steps to update and upgrade the stories this Initiative, the National Park Service is coor associated with units of the national park system.
4 CRM No 8—1999 The sum total of our efforts in cultural will be able to weave a richer national tapestry diversity is a richer understanding of our national that strengthens all of us as a nation. heritage. We will reach a much larger audience with cultural heritage needs. We will preserve Katherine H. Stevenson is Associate Director, Cultural places that are important to the nation's cultural Resource Stewardship and Partnerships, National Park groups in ways that are in keeping with their cul Service. tural values. With this broader framework, we
Enlivening the Study of History Teaching With Historic Places he National Register's Teaching original Testimony of Claimant form, and Twith Historic Places program pro activities that ask students to research the motes places as effective tools for enlivening impact of the Homestead Act on various the study of history, social studies, geography, states and the lives of influential women in and other topics taught in schools. The pro their home communities. gram has produced a series of classroom-ready Students explore Ybor City: Cigar lesson plans, each of which contains a variety Capital of the World to discover why and of documents about historic places and engages students in the work historians do to decipher the past. Many Teaching with Historic Places lesson plans— including those honoring the contribu tions of African Americans, women, and Hispanic Americans—are available on the National Register web site at
CRM No 8—1999 5 N. Y. Nathiri Heritage, History, and Hurston Eatonville within the Preservation Movement
"/ was born in a Negro town. I do not mean by that legislatures passed a series of laws known collec the black back-side of an average town. Eatonville, tively as the Black Codes: former slaves who had Florida is, and was at the time of my birth, a pure acquired land lost it due to actions taken by Negro town—charter, mayor, council, town marshal unscrupulous whites; and the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist, terrorist organization became and all. It was not the first Negro community in the dominant force of intimidation throughout America, but is was the first to be incorporated, the the region. first attempt at organized self-government on the In this environment, a number of thought part of Negroes in America..." ful blacks believed that the only way their people —Zont Nectle Hurston could realize full enfranchisement and protection Dust Tracks on a Road under the law was to establish their own commu nities and become self-governing. Thus, between he historic Town of Eatonville is 1887 and 1914, literally hundreds of these settle a community known around the ments sprang up, scattered throughout the South, world because of the magnificent Southwest, and West. Mt. Bayou, Mississippi; prose of charismatic 20th- Nicodemus, Kansas; Boley, Oklahoma; centurTy writer/folklorist/anthropologist Zora Allensworth, California are all towns whose exis Neale Hurston (1891-1960). Probably, the most tence came as a result of race colonists' efforts. significant collector and interpreter of southern, Today, only a handful of these 19th-century rural, Africa-descended folk life, Hurston is black towns exist. By the end of World War I, acknowledged as having single-handedly pre most had succumbed to the triple threat of lack served this culture for future generations. It was of sufficient water to sustain agriculture, no she who introduced readers to Eatonville, her viable means of maintaining a local economy, "native village"; the place she believed to be the and hostile conduct on the part of encroaching cultural prototype for her people's traditions. development. To appreciate Eatonville's present-day Eatonville, on the other hand, not only sur prominence, a quick history lesson is in order. vived, but became, for those familiar with the Established in 1887, about 10 miles northeast of writings of Zora Neale Hurston, "sacred ground." Orlando, the town is an example of a "race For them, Eatonville, like New York's Ellis Island, colony," an independent, planned community, evoked a broad range of emotions and attach intentionally populated by people of African ments because "the place" had become a reposi descent. Though Eatonville's founding came as a tory of historical experiences. result of amicable circumstances—white men This record notwithstanding, the tiny town were willing to sell land to black men who had of 2,500 had fallen upon hard times. In 1960, the money to buy it, in most other cases, "race the interstate highway system (1-4) had cut the colonies" emerged as a result of extreme racial town in half, separating neighbors on the east hostility and violence. side of town from those on the west side. In Recall that during Reconstruction 1967, Eatonville received another blow with the (1865-1876), federal troops served as guarantors loss of its high school. Like its counterparts of safety for newly-emancipated and enfranchised throughout the South, Orange County Public blacks living in the South. However, with the Schools district downgraded Eatonville's acade election in 1876 of Rutherford B. Hayes to the mic high school to a vocational/alternative educa presidency, federal troops were withdrawn. tion center, busing into the community unsuc Subsequently, the black population experienced a cessful students from around the district, while societal-wide effort at resubjugation—southern
6 CRM No 8—1999 busing Eatonville's students to another city's high made significant contribution to the broad pat school. This action was particularly hurtful. tern of our history?" If, in another instance, wor Since 1895, Eatonville had been home to thy historic preservation projects are defined as the Hungerford Normal and Industrial School. A those where there remains existing built environ private boarding facility, Hungerford received its ment, does this mean, ipso facto, that those pro first teachers from Booker T. Washington's jects where there is no/little built environment Tuskegee Institute in Alabama and had been remaining are unworthy? modeled on that school: students received train Such questions have not been idle specula ing in industrial and liberal arts as well as the tion. For Eatonville, where almost all of its 19th- social graces. The curriculum insured that gradu century structures no longer exist, the "significant ates would become productive citizens, able to = built environment" formula would not provide earn a living, while at the same time, prepared a mechanism to validate the community's place in with the necessary social skills. Hungerford grad America's history. uates had become doctors, teachers, preachers, Though today Eatonville has a historic dis bricklayers, and cabinetmakers, but with the new trict listed on the National Register of Historic "alternative education" approach, Eatonville Places; is now a Certified Local Government; has would be forced to house a school where students a functioning historic preservation board; and will were not actually expected to graduate. have had installed, by the publication of this arti Finally, in 1987, the Orange County Board cle, an "Eatonville Heritage Trail"—all initiatives of County Commission administered what possible only with the full support of the State's seemed to be the town's coup degrdce—in a unan Division of Historical Resources, the fact remains imous decision, the five-member body passed a that these accomplishments could not have taken resolution authorizing the five-laning of Kennedy place 10 years ago. Boulevard, the two-lane road which is Eatonville's Over time, changes, some subtle, others main street. By the spring of 1989, the road more obvious, have paved the way for Eatonville improvement project was to have been com to assume its rightful place within the preserva pleted. Had this governmental action not been tion movement. contested, Eatonville would have lost its historic Several of these changes deserve recognition. character and would have suffered the fate of Certainly, the constant critical attention which countless other traditional African-American Zora Neale Hurston receives is a circumstance in communities. Eatonville's favor. Hurston has become "required Looking back on the past decade, there is reading" in undergraduate curricula around the little to doubt that Eatonville has faced major nation; and, increasingly, high school students are challenges, significant among them being its exposed to her, not only in advanced placement efforts to attain "standing" within the mainstream and international baccalaureate programs, but preservation movement. Those persons who came also in standard 11th and 12th grade English together in 1987 to form The Association to classes. What Eatonville's daughter has brought to Preserve the Eatonville Community, Inc. (P.E.C.), her hometown, then, is an "instant recognition" though accomplished in their professions/various factor: Eatonville has become a permanent feature walks-of-life were, when it came to historic of our intellectual psyche. preservation, a part of "the great This 1950s-era unwashed;" the uninitiated. photograph of Reflecting on that period, it is Eatonville reflects an equally clear that Eatonville organized busi preservationists became activists ness commu during the time when turbulent nity and civic pride. Photo discussions were taking place courtesy Louise within the mainstream preserva M. Franklin. tion community. How, for exam ple, in practical terms, was historic preservation going to treasure the many "... [properties that] are associated with events that have
CRM No 8—1999 7 try would be the largest industry in the United States, and if the travelers identified as this niche market would account for the greatest increase of dollars spent, then certainly the Eatonville preser vationists could advocate, more forcefully still, that for Historic Eatonville, "Preservation = $$$." A third key change which has taken place over the past decade and which has allowed for the establishing of an environment whereby Eatonville's history could be valued is the "chang ing of the guard" within the ranks of preservation professionals. What this has meant, pragmatically, is that better informed, enlightened professionals have assumed key management positions. This new class has had the ability to ascertain, for example, if an Eatonville district could be eligible The Eatonville Another Hurston-related benefit to preser for listing on the National Register of Historic Heritage Trail vation efforts in Eatonville has been the annual represents the Places. During earlier times, it would not have Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and most recent evo been uncommon for an Eatonville preservationist Humanities. Organized by The Association to lution of historic to be told, "You people don't have anything worth preservation Preserve the Eatonville Community and first pre preserving in Eatonville anyway." Such a state activities in sented in 1990, the Hurston Festival has three Eatonville, where ment, issuing forth from the smiling lips of a objectives: tourists are kindly "preservation professional" produces a attracted to the • to celebrate the life and work of Hurston; chilling effect. This pronouncement becomes arts, humanities, • to celebrate the historic significance of and heritage especially reprehensible, however, when it is rec Eatonville; issues. Photo ognized that had the codger kept up with his courtesy the • to celebrate the cultural contributions research, he could have responded to his own spu Association to Africa-descended persons have made to the Preserve the rious comment. United States and to world culture. Eatonville Yes, changing times have meant a marked Community, Inc. This three-and-a-half day, multi-disciplinary improvement in Eatonville's position within the event, featuring public talks, cultural arts events, mainstream preservation movement. After a curriculum-based/hands-on activities for students, decade of work, the foundation had been laid for pre-K to grade 12, theater productions, juried arts exhibitions, a street festival of the arts, and more serious and exhaustive study of this community has attracted some 500,000 visitors in its 10 years and its traditions. There is tremendous promise of existence. Because the festival has been devel for this small town. The way is actually open for oped in five-year cycles, there is an organizing the world to see a model at work: an Africa- principle at work, which allows for a systematic descended community using its rich heritage and consideration of each festival's theme, thereby literary resources to revitalize its economy, rebuild providing visitors with an opportunity to explore its educational infrastructure, and demonstrate the subject matter from a multi-disciplinary vantage. the universal appeal that culture holds. When The Association to Preservation the Though Eatonville preservationists decided Eatonville Community incorporated in 1987, it to present the festival in order to educate the pub lic about Historic Eatonville and the then little- proclaimed itself a "21st century model for his known (in central Florida) author; as fate would toric preservation and civic involvement." Now, have it, their initiative would enjoy perfect tim 12 years later, after having accomplished almost ing. Within five years of the festival's start, the all of it initial objectives, P.E.C. looks to its next travel and tourism industry would identify and decade and rolls up its organizational sleeves, begin to focus upon a phenomenon it called "eco- declaring it is "working to develop Historic tourism," "cultural tourism," and more recently, Eatonville into one of America's premier heritage "heritage tourism." Eatonville could demonstrate communities." already its ability to attract the tourist interested ./V. Y. Nathiri is the Executive Director of The Association in the arts and humanities and in heritage issues. to Preserve the Eatonville Community. ©1999, N. Y. If, by the year 2000, the travel and tourism indus Nathiri
8 CRM No 8—1999 Holly Beachley Brear The Alamo's Selected Past
ach historic site in the United Steely explains that a policy which allows States claims its place within the the elimination of some facets from the history time line of American history via of a site, such as the destruction of the grotto, uniqueness. Similarities to other stems from viewing history as static. Steely sug sites arEe downplayed or ignored to allow the site gests that an alternative approach of offering the to project its individual contribution in the cre full range of each site would greatly enrich the ation of the United States. Although such a focus visitors' understanding of history as a process by creates a unique character for a site, it necessarily which each site evolves. Steely is one of several denies other facets of the site's heritage and thus people within the Texas Historical Commission diminishes its appeal to visitors in a more com who feel that opening the presentation of the plete history. past at state-owned historic sites to a more com This single-focus approach to presenting prehensive history would allow visitors to see the past at historic sites is part of a long-standing each site in a broader context. Such a history policy of non-duplication employed by the would enable visitors to better understand the National Park Service. Each park/historic site has site's relationship with other sites over time and its own focus developed around its unique con through transitions in the region and the world. tribution to the entire park system. Historical A more inclusive history would certainly information or structures not supporting that benefit and broaden the audience for the most focus can be ignored or, in some cases, elimi famous historic site in Texas, the Alamo. The nated. For example, the grotto at San Antonio's Alamo is an excellent example of the narrow Mission Nuestra Senora de la Purisma focus, which highlights one point in history to Concepcion, a structure built in the early part of the exclusion of others. For the last 90 years, the the 20th century, was destroyed by the NPS state-appointed custodians of the Alamo, the (despite protests from the Texas Historical Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT), have Commission) because it did not pertain to the selected from the Alamo's 300-year history a 13- mission period. day period in 1836 as their primary focus. According to James Steely, the chief histo During these 13 days, a small group of men rian at the Texas Historical Commission, Texas under the leadership of William B. Travis adopted the NPS policy of non-duplication in its attempted to defend the Alamo compound approach to the state parks system. against the much larger Mexican army led by Santa Ana; on the 13th day, the Mexican army stormed the Alamo, and all its A drill team per defenders died. forms in front of the Alamo during Although the Alamo has Fiesta Week. great significance as the first of five Spanish missions built in the San Antonio area dur ing the 18th century, the past presented within the famous church walls focuses almost exclusively on the "thirteen days to glory" of 1836. The mission period is but a foot note in comparison. Visitors wishing substantial informa tion about the mission period
CRM No 8—1999 9 must visit neatby mission sites administered by Within the last three decades, protest to the the National Park Service. The Alamo, from the Alamo's Anglo orientation has been steadily gain Daughter's perspective, is a shrine to men who ing strength, and the Daughters are now listening worked to free Texas from Mexico's control. to the protestors' demands that the Alamo's pub Many Hispanic community members and visi lic history be more inclusive. Recently, the DRT tors to the Alamo have expressed frustration with commissioned the design and construction of the this focus, for they feel their cultural ancestry has "Alamo Wall of History" consisting of six free been greatly diminished at the site. Thus, the standing panels outlining the history of the Alamo has become a primary social target for Alamo compound from the mission period to the people protesting ethnic division within the city present. This structure stands outside and to the of San Antonio, the state of Texas, and the country. left of the church, deep within state-owned prop By extension, the separation becomes, for erty. It is not visible from Alamo Plaza, the city- many in San Antonio, between Catholics and owned portion of the Alamo compound. No Protestants because the vast majority of the study has yet been done on how many visitors go Hispanics in San Antonio are Catholic. The back to where the wall stands, but a docent at the churches in the mission compounds adminis Alamo said that many visitors do see the wall and tered by the National Park Service remain the that several have complimented the addition. property of the Catholic Church, and church The Daughters added the Alamo Wall of officials still conduct services at these missions History in an effort to show that they recognize whenever they choose to do so. However, the Alamo's extensive past. But the focal point of Catholic officials are not allowed to conduct reli any trip to the Alamo still is, of course, the gious services at the Alamo. As one DRT mem church, and there is no question that the interior ber explained, the only ceremonies allowed in the of the church receives many more visitors than Alamo are those showing respect for the Alamo does this new addition. The atmosphere within heroes. Furthermore, any group conducting cer the church walls remains that of a sacred memor emonies or performing on the state-owned prop ial to military heroes. The sign inside the erty in front of the Alamo must reinforce the entrance instructs visitors to remain silent and military/memorial focus the DRT has established men to remove their hats. Visitors desiring a tour for the site. gather at the designated time around a diorama The Daughters carefully control who may depicting the Alamo compound during the 1836 use the state-owned property and how it is used. battle, and here they receive the DRT-composed The Daughters hold a memorial serivce on the history of the site focused on the famous battle. anniversary of the 1836 battle (March 6), and Situated by the entrance and the exit are clear they allow only two other groups to use the site donation boxes where visitors can see how others on an annual, pre-approved basis: The Texas Cavaliers and the Order of the Alamo. The members of both groups A horse-drawn are wealthy businessmen in carriage stops in front of the San Antonio, and both Alamo during groups are exclusively Anglo, the Centennial with considerable cross-over Battle of Flowers Parade. membership. By permission of the DRT, the Alamo has served as a staging group for these groups' ceremonies since the early 1900s. Thus, the site has come to represent for many in the San Antonio community wealthy Anglos within the city.
10 CRM No 8—1999 The Texas have shown with money their Cavaliers pre respect and appreciation for pare to crown their King the Alamo. A DRT member Antonio. explained that these boxes bring in over $90,000 each year.' However, the major source of income at the Alamo is the Alamo Gift Shop where the atmosphere is much more relaxed. But the focus remains on the 1836 battle and its most famous participants. In both the Alamo church and the gift shop, the Daughters undoubtedly feel that they are offering visitors what they want, and the finan from the public that the Alamo's history needs to cial success of the Alamo as it is run by the DRT be more fully developed and, hopefully, they will would seem to validate this assumption. The continue to open the site to a more inclusive Alamo operates at a sizable profit, whereas many interpretation. The past offered at the Alamo of the state-run historic sites operate at a deficit. should examine the site's position in the develop The argument of providing what Alamo ment of missions in what is now the United visitors desire is a circular one. The presentation States, especially in relation to the other missions of the past at the state-owned part of the Alamo developed later in San Antonio. The comparison compound is perfect for tourists wishing to with the four "sister missions," as they are known "experience" the famous Alamo battle, so the site locally, could include design, purpose, and con attracts such visitors. The Daughters have created gregations of each. The military and commercial within the church an atmosphere of awe for mili uses of the Alamo after the 1836 battle offer tary sacrifice as they showcase artifacts of the more fertile ground for an extended history. And lives of the Alamo's heroes, with special emphasis this extended history should be offered in oral on William B. Travis, James Bowie, and David and written form inside the church walls with an Crockett. The diorama here holds no figurines, emphasis equal to that given the 1836 siege and for this is not a place of toy soldiers but of spir battle. Only then will the vast majority of the ited men. Visitors must wait until they enter the Alamo's past—occurring before and after those gift shop to relive the Disney and John Wayne revered 13 days—receive adequate recognition. images of the Alamo. Here the diorama does The history of the Alamo is and should be a have figurines fighting, and here tourists can shared heritage. relax into a vacation mode as they entertain themselves with props for reliving the 1836 battle. Notes 1 James Wright Steely, Parks for Texas: Enduring The DRT's emphasis on the siege and bat Landscapes of the New Deal (Austin: University of tle suggests a segregation of visitors, with Texas Press, 1999). Hispanics steered toward the other mission sites 2 Personal communication, 1999. and Anglos to the Alamo. If Hispanics want to ' Personal communication with DRT member, 1990. receive a significant amount of history prior to 4 Personal communication, 1999. 1836 and if they wish to receive a positive sense ' Personal communication, 1990. of ancestry in San Antonio, they are much more likely to find both at the other San Antonio-area Holly Beachley Brear is a consultant in symbolic anthro pology in Culpeper, Virginia. missions. However, as mentioned above, the Photos courtesy the author. Daughters are beginning to listen to suggestions
CRM No 8—1999 11 In the Cradle of Creole Culture
long a quiet bend of Cane River Lake, Acreated by a dam on a finger of the Red River in 1835, lay a cluster of antebellum planta tions. Plantations with names that echo provincial France or the tranquility of seasonal beauty for term "crioulo" to similarly distinguish native which this region of north central Louisiana is well Africans from those born in the Western hemi known. Near the historic town of Natchitoches sphere and presumably more accustomed to the cul (pronounced nack-a-tosh), the first French colonial ture of slavery. On the sugar plantations of the settlement in Louisiana, plantations such as Caribbean colony of St. Dominique, the French "Oakland" and "Magnolia," now known as Cane planters had attempted to thereby reduce the threat River Creole National Historical Park, provide a of uprisings from native Africans by depending picturesque invitation, opening the pathway into a more on the "Creole" whose identifier increasingly unique insight on antebellum Louisiana lifestyle became more racial as the product of interracial and culture. These plantation titles, however, belie a liaisons with African women in bondage increased. controversial, yet piquant topic in historical multi- After the freedom uprising of 1793 on St. culturalism. Dominique, which the victors renamed Haiti, many The economic growth of 18th-century French French planters fled to Louisiana intending to recre colonial Louisiana was based on the fertility of allu ate their empires. Seeking a distinction from native vial river bottoms, built up from millions of years of French and other European nationalities in soil deposits. But the agricultural wealth produced Louisiana, the planters began to refer to themselves from sugar cane, cotton, corn, and indigo was not a as "Creole" or second-generation French colonials. short-term development. Labor was the critical ele Such a lilting, poetic moniker appealed to the ment throughout the agricultural experiments with planters who continued their unique reference into various crops in the region.. .and labor was provided the African occupation of the territory. by slavery. The historical apologia for the introduc Today, between the descendants of those tion of Africans into slavery in the French colony is enslaved and those enslavers there is an age-old much the same as that given a century earlier at insistence upon the rights to the name "Creole." Jamestown, Virginia, or two centuries earlier by the The racial and social-elitist overtones, which accom Portuguese and the Spaniards. This was the need to pany this ideal today, are products of the institution produce crops in quantity for export and to conquer of slavery and the forced system of caste, which the challenges of a severe climate. The region of developed ante- and post bellum in Louisiana. With West Africa known collectively as the Senegambia, the title goes the credit for a unique architecture of provided the regional source of native Africans for wrought iron and cupolas constructed from native bondage in Louisiana. By the early 19th century, soils and foliage, the distinctively tantalizing cuisine the Atlantic slave trade began to gradually give way of local seafood and spices.. .and the music for to an interregional trade in lives that extended from which the world has come to know Louisiana. But the Eastern seaboard of the United States to Spanish who will account for the bondage of thousands of Texas. However, in Louisiana, a continual influx of Africans who were first labeled "Creole" and who native Africans produced a strong culture of reli lived their lives and died in anonymity, so that oth gious practices and belief that often challenged their ers would someday claim the now respectable dis condition of servitude. tinction, "I am Creole"? The French enslavers began to intermix Africans from other regions on their plantations by Carla F. Cowles way of the interregional slave trade and identify Interpretive Park Ranger first-generation Africans born in Louisiana as Cane River Creole National Historical Park "Creole." The colonial Portuguese of Brazil used the
12 CRM No 8—1999 Daniel P. Jordan "To Follow Truth Wherever it May Lead" Dealing with the DNA Controversy at Monticello
f f "W" T^ now anything about DNA?" ated equal" and was a critic of slavery. But he was U£ That's been my standard opening also a slave owner who wrote about perceived I ^^ line for conversations and presen- racial differences between blacks and whites, and JL. S^tations for the past 10 months. who was pessimistic about the potential for racial In the time since DNA tests suggested that a harmony within a free society. Jefferson summa Jefferson male chromosome was linked to at least rized his conflicted attitudes towards slavery in a one child of the slave Sally Hemings, I've learned letter written in 1820: "But as it is, we have the a lot about DNA. And we at Monticello, Thomas wolf by the ear, and we can neither hold him, nor Jefferson's home near Charlottesville, Virginia, safely let him go. Justice is in one scale, and self have also learned a lot about the handling of con preservation in the other." troversial issues. The question facing cultural resource man Monticello's controversial issue—the ques agers is not whether one's institution has a contro tion of Thomas Jefferson's paternity of slave chil versial issue, but how the staff will deal with that dren—was broadcast internationally over every issue. prominent media outlet—television, newspapers, The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Founda magazines, radio, and popular journals. The fren tion is the private, nonprofit organization that has zied attention surrounding our controversy may owned and operated Monticello since 1923. Until be exceptional, but complex and emotional inter the mid-1980s, slavery was the "S" word among pretive issues are not. interpreters at the Foundation. The African- The larger context of "the Sally Hemings American community was invisible, leaving visi question," however, is the story of slavery at tors with the impression that Jefferson lived and Monticello. The issues of slavery and race, though worked alone on his majestic mountaintop. Monticello is at prominent in American history, are often difficult In the mid-1980s, the staff developed a mas the center of the to discuss and understand in any circumstance. ter plan that made commitments for presenting DNA contro versy. Photo But these topics are especially tough at an accurate, scholarly, and, consequently, inclu courtesy Monticello. A large enslaved population lived and sive portrait of life at Monticello. Our premise Thomas worked at the home of the author of the was straightforward: Jefferson cannot be under Jefferson Memorial Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson stood without understanding slavery, and Foundation/L. penned the immortal words "...all men are cre Monticello cannot be understood without under Swank. standing its African-American community. Undergirding this premise was a commitment to vigorous, comprehensive research. Since then, the Monticello staff has delved into documentary evi dence such as Jefferson's voluminous writings and local records; physical evidence such as archeology and a systematic analysis of the house's original fabric; and oral traditions, such as those recorded in interviews with over 100 descendants of Monticello slaves through our "Getting Word" project. This research and our ongoing findings manifest themselves in various ways at Monticello and beyond. The 550,000 individuals who visit Monticello each year now learn about slavery at Monticello as an integral part of their tours of the
CRM No 8—1999 13 house and gardens, and released a statement to the press on the study; many of them take a posted on our Web site the statement and an on special tour of slave- line resource to information about the contro related sites. We also versy; and prepared our guides to initiate discus teach our visitors about sion of the issue with our visitors. the plantation through What followed was a media blitz, which by signage and marked Monticello standards was unprecedented, with 61 foundations highlight legitimate requests from journalists—to visit, ing slave sites, and film, and interview—in the next four days alone. through exhibits, Our goal for this period was to be supportive of brochures, and the all serious queries. We are not naive: we are well availability of related aware that members of the media have varying scholarly books and agendas. But we believed—and still believe—that products in our our best chance for getting the facts straight was museum shops, cata to be honest, straightforward, proactive, and log, and Web site. cooperative. We provided all the information we Further, driven by an could, and overall, were pleased with the results. even more recent mas After the initial rush to conclusions ter plan and our ongo ("Jefferson Fathered Slave's Last Child," read the ing commitment to original, misleading headline) came another Thomas scholarship, we expect ultimately to recreate some Jefferson's life round of articles explaining that the study's results and career is of the slave quarters and workshops along were less conclusive than had earlier been memorialized at Mulberry Row, which was the center of African- reported. In any case, once the media turned their the Jefferson American plantation life during Jefferson's time. attention elsewhere, we at Monticello rolled up Memorial in Washington, Beyond the mountaintop, we have published our sleeves and got to work on an independent DC. Photo cour scholarly monographs on the topic, hosted four assessment of the issue. Our premise was to treat tesy National conferences, and developed curricula and school the DNA story as a research question, applying Park Service/Terry J. programs. the tenets of scholarship to it, and making it a Adams. The latest scholarship about slavery at part of our ongoing commitment to getting our Monticello appears in our numerous course offer history right through scholarly research. ings, public programs, lectures, and Web site, as We formed a diverse staff committee, well as on films and videos, including several pub including not only scholarly researchers and lic television offerings focusing specifically on archeologists, but also hands-on interpreters. Jefferson and race. In addition, we have formed They were charged with evaluating the DNA and strengthened relationships with people of all story and all relevant evidence, to assess its impact races with direct connections to Monticello. In on historic interpretation at Monticello, and to 1992 and again in 1997, the Foundation hosted recommend a course of action. Their work was to large homecomings of descendants of Jefferson's be methodical, critical, scholarly, and comprehen slaves, most of whom had never been to sive. We identified seven categories of information Monticello. In short, driven by scholarly research, or evidence, including primary sources, oral his our understanding of slavery and the Monticello tory, archeology, and the DNA test itself. The plantation has enriched all of our programs, and committee conferred with DNA experts from the African-American presence and heritage are Yale, MIT, Berkeley, the Cold Spring Harbor conspicuously established at Monticello, leading Laboratory, and other institutions, as well as with to a more complete picture of life at Jefferson's outside experts in history and with two advisory home. groups that counsel us regularly on scholarly and Fifteen years of increased attention to inter African-American matters. In the meantime, we preting slavery at Monticello, however, never have participated in academic forums on the topic received a frenzy of media attention. That at the University of Virginia, Yale, and elsewhere. changed on the evening of October 31,1998, The final phase of the process lies in sharing with the release of the DNA story in Nature mag our information and insights. What will follow is azine. Within 24 hours, Monticello hosted a press a plan to communicate our findings with multiple conference with Dr. Eugene Foster, the scientist audiences, including our own staff, visitors, schol- who designed and executed the DNA test;
14 CRM No 8—1999 ars, and the media as well as to revise our inter elsewhere and try to glean the "best practices" pretive programs at Monticello. from sister organizations. And, be grateful for Allow me to conclude with a few observa informed critics—I can name several feisty tions about how to deal with interpretive contro individuals who have helped push Monticello versies: in the right direction over the last decade. Remind yourself that interpretation is a Don't expect a smooth ride. Controversial work in progress. At Monticello, we learn as issues bring heavy baggage. You can expect we go from our own mistakes and from the unpleasant experiences and painful times, not accomplishments of other programs. Research a happy consensus. Controversy is a part of drives interpretation, and research will bring accurate history. new information and insights. Get on with it. Take the plunge! It's better to Be scholarly! Our staff-developed, board- tackle your issue now rather than later. If you approved master plan charges us to base our raise a difficult subject for the purpose of get interpretation on sound research. Presently, ting your history right, and ground yourself we have eight Ph.D.s at Monticello and she with a scholarly approach, the results will be colleagues who have published one or more positive. books with a university press. Doing acade We don't claim to have "resolved" this issue, mic research is not foolproof, but it offers the or to have smoothed over its emotional impact, best chance to get your history right. or to have found the "right" way to discuss it Be proactive, not reactive, about your diffi with our visitors. We have plenty of critics who cult issues. To be passive or silent on a contro will tell us just the opposite. But we have learned versy is to lose—and to lose big and quickly. much from the "DNA" controversy, and we Take a broad view and develop a comprehen already knew that difficult issues are a part of his sive program. Establish a larger context. torical integrity. We will have other controversies Get help. At Monticello, we have long bene to face. But, to quote Thomas Jefferson, "...we fited from the advice and perspective of our are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may African-American Interpretation Advisory lead." Committee. Our staff also meets one-on-one with individuals or small groups of people Daniel P. Jordan is the President of the Thomas Jefferson who have an informed opinion or a vested Memorial Foundation. interest in specific issues. We seek out models
The National Association of Colored Women's Clubs
vibrant movement of African-American its motto, "Lifting As We Climb." In the early years, Awomen activists emerged out of the late- the national program included establishing schooling 19th century's climate of increased racial tension and and housing. The NACWC was an early advocate for violence. The National Association of Colored the preservation of African-American history. One of Women's Clubs (NACWC) resulted in the merger of its more significant contributions was its 1916 cam two organizations, the National Federation of Afro- paign to restore the home of Frederick Douglass. American Women (NFAAW) and the National League Additionally, political involvement in campaigning for of Colored Women (NLCW). In 1896, to more effec anti-lynching legislation and women's rights set the tively accomplish their goals, these two organizations NACWC apart from earlier African-American decided to unite their voices and create the NACWC, women's organizations which had focused on charita a single national network that could focus on the con ble and religious work. Through these contributions, cerns of African American women. Through this the NACWC has significantly influenced the lives of forum, women working on similar issues in different many Americans. regions of the country could share information and learn from each other's experiences. Doug Stover Throughout the 100 years of its existence the Chief, Resource Management C &0 National Historical Park NACWC has worked steadily to fulfill the mandate of
CRM No 8—1999 15 Daniel Quan Angel Island Immigration Station Immigration History in the Middle of San Francisco Bay
tourist's visit to San Francisco is China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, South not complete without a ferry America, and Russia immigrated. From 1910 ride on the bay to Alcatraz, the until 1940, some one million immigrants were historic island penitentiary. But processed at Angel Island. Less than one half of AlcatraAz is not the only famous island in San those immigrants actually set foot on the island, Francisco Bay. Situated just northeast of the but a large number of those who did were Golden Gate Bridge lies Angel Island, a lesser- detained and held there pending their immigra known spot of land with its own similar but tion hearings. Almost exclusively, those detained unique historical lineage. Like Alcatraz, Angel for long periods were Chinese. In its 30 years of Island was occupied during the Civil War by the operation, 175,000 to 200,000 Chinese immi U.S. military as part of a coastal defense network. grants passed through the station. Like Alcatraz, it once housed federal prisoners. The discriminatory Exclusion Act of 1882, But unique to this island is its use as a United which barred Chinese laborers from immigrating, States immigration station. From 1910 until resulted in a "paper son" system designed to cir 1940, Angel Island Immigration Station operated cumvent the law. Despite the exclusion policy, as a primary gateway for immigration from the Chinese residents of the United States could Pacific. It was a counterpart to Ellis Island legally bring blood relatives into the country. In Immigration Station on the eastern seaboard. this system, a person wishing to immigrate could The significance of Ellis Island as a symbol purchase papers from a legal Chinese resident of European immigration into the United States claiming that he was a blood relative. Because of has been well documented and equally well sup the "paper son" system, immigrating Chinese ported as a prominent place of historical interest. were viewed with suspicion and subject to rigor The 1997 nomination of Angel Island ous and detailed interrogations designed to Immigration Station as a National Historic stymie even true blood relatives. Those who Landmark speaks clearly of its equal significance answered incorrectly were subject to detainment as a West Coast symbol of immigration. and further hearings, or deportation. To exasper History of the Immigration Station ate matters, detainees often waited many weeks In 1905, local architect Walter J. Mathews or months, and sometimes years, for their immi was commissioned by the Bureau of Immigration gration hearings. to design a new processing station on Angel The station was overcrowded from the Island. The immigration station emerged from a beginning, with operations further complicated 15-acre hillside site on the northeastern coast of by its segregated facilities. Caucasian and the island in 1908. It consisted of three large Oriental eating and living quarters were segre wood frame structures, a concrete power plant, gated and also divided by gender, with the and a wooden pier. Outbuildings and under Oriental facilities further subdivided between ground water tanks were constructed the follow Chinese and Japanese. For a brief time, the sec ing year, and in 1910, it's opening year, 12 ond floor of the barracks doubled as a detention employee cottages designed by architect Julia facility for World War I POWs and in the 1920s Morgan were built. for Federal prisoners. With the onset of World War I, European In 1940, fire destroyed the administration immigration to the West Coast via the Panama building, spelling the end for the immigration Canal all but ceased, and the immigration station station. By the end of that year, a new station had became the portal through which people from been established within San Francisco proper.
16 CRM No 8—1999 Building 317, Historians estimated that over the detention 100 poems had been written. barracks, is one of the three Repainting of the walls and more major structures recent weathering had left only a remaining at portion of them visible though. Angel Island Immigration These poems, first-person Station. Photo accounts of the immigration courtesy the experience, were clearly signifi Angel Island Immigration cant historical treasures. Station Community groups lob Foundation. bied state government about the importance of the discovery, which ultimately led to a 1976 appropriation of $250,000 for repair and preservation of the detention barracks. Roof repair, The site reverted back to the U.S. Army, and foundation stabilization, seismic when the United States entered World War II, it bracing, building access, exterior patching and became a Prisoner of War Processing Station. painting, and installation of a sprinkler system Between 1942 and 1946 it functioned as an were completed in 1981. The restoration was intake and transfer station for German and designed to bring the detention barracks back to Japanese prisoners and enemy aliens bound for its last occupied period as a POW camp. inland POW camps. At war's end it was as an With a cash-strapped state park system, no outgoing port for prisoners being returned to further restoration or preservation has proceeded. Japan. An urgency now exists to complete the stabiliza The Discovery and The Save tion and restoration of the immigration station. Over the years, volunteer organizations have After the war, the Army decommissioned actively trained and maintained a dedicated the site and turned the site over to the State of docent staff and have sought public and private California. From 1946 until 1963, it languished support for planning and implementation. in obscurity, with the wood frame buildings dete Sponsorship of a bill by Senator Daniel K. Akaka riorating with each succeeding year. In 1963, (D-Hawaii) has resulted in a $100,000 federal Angel Island was established as a state park and appropriation to study the feasibility of a major the California Department of Parks and West Coast immigration museum center, of Recreation assumed stewardship of the immigra which Angel Island Immigration Station would tion site. Overgrown with brush and in a sham play a pivotal role. bles, the area was initially cleared. The adminis tration building ruins were bulldozed, the The Resource wooden pier removed, and the employee cottages The major standing features from the razed. Also slated for demolition were the deten immigration station period (1910-1940) are the tion barracks. Fortunately, a state park ranger detention barracks, the hospital, and the power exploring the barracks discovered a wealth of plant. A barn and a small carpentry shop also Asian inscriptions carved on its interior walls. remain, as do the partial foundations of the With the help of a college professor and a local employee cottages and the administration build photographer, the trio recorded their discovery ing. The most significant of all the features is the and reported it to park officials and the local detention barracks with its inscribed Chinese Asian-American community. A small cadre of poems. Also, on the second floor of the barracks historians, professionals, and concerned citizens can be found carvings in Japanese, Russian, and soon took on the preservation challenge. Arabic, establishing the presence of other immi The inscriptions turned out to be poems grating groups. written in a classical Chinese style, each by a dif A number of structures were added to the ferent author. Translated, they expressed the emo site during the World War II POW camp period tional heartbreak, sorrow, and anguish felt by the (1942-1946). A mess hall, two guard towers, and immigrating Chinese detained on Angel Island. a set of army barracks were built during the war
CRM No 8—1999 U Poems carved immediately painted the barracks walls, but suc by Chinese ceeding groups of detainees simply carved their detainees were discovered inscriptions into the redwood paneling instead. throughout the Time and again, the carvings were covered with detention bar layers of paint until many of the lower relief carv racks. Photo courtesy the ings filled in. Now, only the more deeply Angel Island inscribed poems are visible. The challenge that Immigration this poses for preservationists today is that of Foundation. recovery. Can layers of paint be stripped away to reveal the more delicately carved poems? Can oil- based paint be stripped to expose the water- based, ink brush painted inscriptions without destroying them? Are there ways to read and record the inscriptions on the walls without hav ing to actually remove paint? And finally, can a long-term solution for both protection and dis play be found? Next Steps years. The mess hall remains intact, as do two of An in-depth study of the inscriptions is cur the military barracks and the remains of one rently proposed that will analyze the historic guard tower. Related to this period and located paint and the Chinese writing ink, determine the on the second floor of the detention barracks are probability for successful recovery of written several inscriptions written by Japanese and inscriptions, and explore alternative safe recovery German POWs. techniques. Mapping and photographing the The value that these buildings hold is not poems and translation of all other inscriptions in in their individual architectural merits, as they the building will also be completed. Historical are neither unique nor distinguished in that way, research will be conducted concurrently to access but in their collective symbolism as a processing known historical translations and references that station and in the valuable carved inscriptions may provide additional clues to the locations and contained within them. The immigration station ages of the carvings. site as a whole is the only one of its kind existing Alternative methods of protection and secu on the West Coast. rity for the carvings will also be studied. Different Protection and Preservation lighting techniques could be explored that would During the barracks restoration, great care enhance the visibility of the carvings while gener was taken to protect the carvings. After complet ating less heat and ultraviolet radiation. Security ing the restoration, park officials decided to leave alternatives such as clear protective coatings, glass the carvings largely untouched, determining also covers, railing systems, or area alarms may also be that no mechanical systems were to be added to considered. the barracks. Any change in temperature and Conditions assessments of the hospital and humidity could potentially produce irreversible power plant will also be conducted to establish changes to the walls, thus further degrading the benchmarks for their restoration. Unchanged in carvings. A minimum of interior lighting was use and untouched since 1946, both structures added to allow some of the carvings to be read, are badly in need of basic repair. The assessments but no surface protection was provided. Guided will determine the level of effort required for docent tours, an alarm system, and limited hours restoration and adaptive re-use of the buildings. of operation have served well to limit the amount In addition, a cultural landscape study will be of touching or vandalism occurring in the bar completed in order to restore much of the site to racks, but a long-term solution is now needed. its former appearance. The carved poems were actually the second Summary generation of wall inscriptions. In the early sta The greatest benefit that can be offered to tion years, Chinese immigrants were said to have the visiting public from this work is the ability to written on the walls with ink brushes. The staff share the rich history of this valuable resource.
18 CRM No 8—1999 The site provides the foil against which the hard tion of the buildings and grounds combined with ships of immigration and the ramifications of a good interpretative program will give visitors a political realities such as exclusion can be pre greater sense of the physical presence of the sta sented and discussed. The carved inscriptions tion, the power of the governing authority provide the personal insight that humanizes these behind it, and the feelings of those it affected. issues and relates them to the visitor. It is a great accomplishment to preserve the carved poems, Daniel Quart is an architect, interpretive exhibit designer, but it is not enough if they are not available for and past president of the Angel Island Immigration public view and interpretation. Likewise, restora Station Foundation,
Stonewall—An Icon in Gay History- Recognized by the National Register t was a spontaneous uprising by a "straight" population. It is this defiant stance I rag-tag group fiercely resisting arrest that is celebrated in hundreds of gay rights for the simple act of gathering in a local tav parades and festivals around the world, many ern, the Stonewall Inn, a semi-underground, held in June to commemorate the Stonewall Mafia-run watering hole in New York's event. The listing is a testament not only to Greenwich Village neighborhood, that the increased acceptance of gays and lesbians catered to a predominantly gay male clientele in contemporary society but also to the still None of the participants—not the policemen young but growing field of scholarship in gay nor the patrons of the bar nor those who history. Also, it is another example of how, in joined in when the fight moved out into the recent years, the National Register, and his street could have imagined that the rioting toric preservation in general, have become they precipitated would come to be an inter more inclusive of a broader spectrum of national symbol for the struggle for gay and human experience than in the past. lesbian civil rights. What started out as an Stephen A. Morris ordinary bar raid by police but turned into a Conservation Planner pitched battle in the streets that stretched National Center for Recreation and Conservation National Park Service over three nights now, 30 years later, has been recognized by the federal government as a site worthy of preservation. On May 27, 1999, Stonewall Inn was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is considered to be the first prop erty listed in the National Register specifically for its association with gay history. An outgrowth of the revolu tionary spirit of the late 1960s, Stonewall is historically significant because it marked a sharp turn in the tactics of the gay rights movement— from an attitude of politely request ing respect and tolerance to one of The Stonewall Inn was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on May 27, 1999. Photo courtesy the New York State vocally asserting that gays should Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation/Andrew have the same civil rights as the Dollart.
CRM No 8—1999 19 John Paige and Mary McVeigh nearly 50 percent of the city's population was of varied African descent, both free and enslaved. After the Louisiana Purchase, English- speaking Anglo- and African-Americans moved Planning for Jazz into New Orleans. The newcomers began settling upriver from Canal Street away from the already populated Vieux Carre. These settlements "Jazz is hereby designated as a rare and valuable extended the city boundaries and created the national American treasure to which we should "uptown" American sector. devote our attention, support and resources to In the early-19th century various African make certain it is preserved, understood and pro and African-American elements routinely began to be incorporated into the musical culture of the mulgated." city and accepted as an integral part of the cul Concurrent Resolution 57, 100th U.S. Congress, 1987. ture. Likewise, many African Americans, espe he above resolution expressed cially the educated free people of color, partici congressional interest in jazz. pated in musical activities considered European This interest in jazz by Congress in origin, thereby blurring many of the cultural was followed in 1994, when differences that existed in other southern cities. PubliTc Law 103-433 in 1994 was passed estab Also, during the 19th century German and lishing the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Irish immigrants came to the city in greater num Park after a special resource study was conducted bers. The more affluent settled in and adjacent to by the National Park Service regarding ways to the central business district, while the less pros preserve and commemorate New Orleans Jazz. perous settled in working class areas along both The park legislation required the National Park upriver (Irish Channel) and downriver (Lower Service to prepare a General Management Plan for Marigny and Bywater) portions of New Orleans. the new park. This plan provides general guid After the Civil War, and especially at the turn of ance for NPS managers for a period of 10 to 15 the century, large numbers of Italians and other years regarding how to protect the park's cultural southern European immigrants arrived in New and natural resources while providing opportuni Orleans and moved into the lower Vieux Carre. ties for visitors to understand, enjoy, and appreci Many of these immigrants also settled upriver ate the park. and downriver working-class neighborhoods and One of the greatest challenges of the plan some newer ones being developed in "back-of- ning effort was to encourage the various diverse town" areas away from the river, interspersed with groups that contributed to jazz to tell their sto existing African-American neighborhoods. ries. To understand the complex story of jazz, it is Each ethnic group contributed to the very important to go back to the colonial period in active musical environment in the city, and Louisiana history. New Orleans was founded by before the 20th-century African Americans mas- the French in 1718, ceded to the Spanish in 1763, returned to the Odd Fellows and French in 1803 and almost Masonic Dance Hall/Eagle immediately sold to the United Saloon (South States in the Louisiana Purchase. Rampart & This resulted in a rich amalgam Perdido Streets) illustrates an of cultures being formed in the early jazz site city. The Creole culture was associated with Catholic and both French- and Louis Armstrong and other early Spanish-speaking. The American jazz musicians. culture was Protestant and English-speaking. During the colonial period, enslaved West Africans were brought to the city so that at the beginning of the period of American dominion
20 CRM No 8—1999 A jazz parade querading as Indians during the Carnival season, sponsored by a and especially on Mardi Gras Day, began to Social Aid and Pleasure Club appear in the neighborhoods. Their demonstra features a mem tions included drumming and call-and-response ber of the Jet chanting that was strongly reminiscent of West Setter parading to the music of African and Caribbean music. the Little New Orleans music was greatly influenced Rascals Brass by the popular musical forms that proliferated Band. throughout the United States following the Civil War, and marching bands expanded their already enormous popularity in the late 1880s. There was a growing national interest in syncopated musical styles influenced by African-American-inspired forms such as the Cakewalk and minstrel tunes as well as the syncopated rhythms of Gypsy, Jewish, Celtic, Viennese, Mexican, and Cuban music. By the 1890s syncopated piano compositions, called ragtime, created a popular musical sensation, and brass bands began supplementing the standard march repertoire with syncopated "ragtime" marches. While many organizations in New Orleans used brass bands in parades, concerts, political rallies, and funerals, African-American mutual aid and benevolent societies had their own expressive approach to funeral processions and parades, which continue to the present. Sometime before 1900, African-American neigh borhood organizations known as social aid and study recommended that "the unique contribu pleasure clubs also began to spring up in the city. tions" made by neighborhood social and pleasure Similar in their neighborhood orientation to the clubs and support for second line bands be incor mutual aid and benevolent societies, the purposes porated into the study. As a result of this legisla of social and pleasure clubs were to provide a tive direction, research and information gathering social outlet for its members, provide community was done not only on the history of the music, service, and parade as an expression of commu but also about the history of the neighborhoods nity pride. This parading provided dependable and the ongoing jazz-related activities. The results work for musicians and became an important of this research demonstrated the link between training ground for young musical talent. the historic importance of mutual aid and benev By this time, New Orleans dance music was olent societies, brass bands, and the Mardi Gras becoming more distinctive with its use of impro Indians in the evolution of jazz and their ongoing visation and instruments associated with brass activities today. These communities and organiza bands. This music of the people became jazz and tions continue the parade tradition today much in 1917, the original Dixieland Jazz Band cut the the same as they did 100 years ago. The special first commercial jazz recording and jazz New resource study identified many of these commu Orleans style became a national craze. New nities, clubs and organizations. Public involve Orleans is still deeply associated with jazz and ment for this study was very formal and held in traditional as well as many other forms of jazz public hotels, libraries, universities, and com can be found in the city. plexes. National Park Service involvement with jazz The legislation for creating the New began in 1990 when Congress directed the Orleans Jazz National Historical Park directed National Park Service to conduct a special that the new park provide the visitor with live resource study on the "origins and history of early jazz interpretive and educational information jazz" in New Orleans. The legislation for this about jazz-related programs held in the metropol itan area. It also permits the park to provide tech-
CRM No 8—1999 21 A jazz class at meetings was gathered. As a the New Orleans result, one meeting was held at a Center for Creative Arts senior center, another was held at illustrates the a local fraternal lodge. Meetings ways in which were held at community colleges, the New Orleans Jazz National throughout the city with individ Historical Park ual groups, and one meeting was provides jazz held specifically for brass bands, education pro grams. and social aid and pleasure clubs. All of these meetings were very informal. The superinten dent and planning team sat down with the attendees in a dis cussion format. No one from the audience was expected to walk to a microphone (although it was available if they chose to). This nical assistance and grants, enter into cooperative information approach became a agreements, and promote a broad range of educa lively discussion after the first 30 minutes or so, tion activities relating to the history of early jazz. with members of the audience interjecting not In order to begin formulating the plan, it was felt only their ideas and concerns, but providing the that the best approach would be to meet individ interjection on the people, places, incidents, and ually with the various communities, clubs, soci stories of "jazz greats." eties, Indian tribes, bands and organizations. At The study team also pursued very broad each meeting, individual groups were asked how strategies to reach the communities—press they would like their particular contribution to releases, hand carried meeting notices, requests the origins of jazz related to visitors and if their for distribution to the commission, revisiting and group wanted to be involved in any of the new re-acquainting the new team with previous meet park's programs. If the responses were affirmative, ing site managers, question/answer sessions on the groups were asked what the park could do to the local jazz radio station, meetings at histori assist them in continuing their historic jazz- cally black colleges and universities, and placing related activities. information on the study and the draft alterna These communities take great pride in their tives in 12 libraries throughout the city. particular area's contributions to the origins of All of these efforts paid dividends. The park jazz. Several communities claim their particular now has a better understanding of the what jazz area actually "birthed" jazz, and that their partic stories are important to tell, which neighbor ular area contained the most well-known, fre hoods are more supportive of the park, and the quented, and famous jazz historic sites and that visiting public will gain a greater understanding their community is the most historic site. The and appreciation of the stories behind jazz music. culture of many neighborhoods is very close knit, The General Management Plan for New Orleans extremely stable, and self-reliant. There is a Jazz National Historical Park will be completed strong mistrust for outsiders. Residents can be this summer and the park will begin taking uncomfortable at a formal meeting, unwilling to actions to protect the jazz resources of New travel to a location outside of the community, Orleans and providing the visitor with a better and be reluctant to express their ideas openly. understanding of the music. Therefore, the team, with assistance from the superintendent and staff, and members of the John Paige and Mary McVeigh served on both the special resource study for New Orleans Jazz as well as the New New Orleans Jazz Commission began to identify Orleans Jazz National Historical Park General community leaders who could serve as hosts and Management Plan projects. liaisons for the Park Service. Information on the most appropriate locations, times, and circum Photos courtesy National Park stances that would induce residents to attend Service/N. Kuykendell.
22 CRMN08—1999 Jan Eakins Port Gamble, Washington Managing Cultural Diversity on Puget Sound
etween 1852 and 1855, timber- the turn of the century, its output dwarfed by men from the East erected 16 new mills established to exploit the potential of steam-powered sawmills on the rail transport. While competition and economic Bshores of Washington Territory's downturns eventually bankrupted other early Puget Sound. Harbors there were secure, and mills, sound business practices enabled Puget timber was plentiful and easy to harvest. Trees Mill to operate on Gamble Bay through 1995. grew so large a two-room house could be hol Re-named Pope & Talbot in 1938, the company lowed out of a stump. They stood so close to the continues to mill lumber in Oregon and else shore they could be felled into the water and where. floated to a mill where they were sawed and The founders of Puget Mill sought men shipped to San Francisco or abroad. Men from from Maine to captain their ships, balance the Maine, well versed in the ways of the woods and books, file the saws, and mend the boilers. They the sea, led this emerging industry. Men from established the town of Port Gamble in 1858 to across the globe labored to fell the trees and mill attract and retain these skilled men and their the lumber. families. The town's amenities and the company's Three men from East Machias, Maine practice of prepaying passage to Port Gamble in established Puget Mill Company on Gamble Bay exchange for a commitment to work there for at in 1853. Their venture prospered despite a show least six months paid off. Two years later, 57 per down between the United States Navy and Haida cent of the 202 inhabitants living in or near the warriors across the bay two years later and the town were from Maine or had parents from Fraser River gold rush of 1858 which enticed Maine. These men and women re-created at Port woodsmen and sailors to abandon their jobs and Gamble the culture they left behind: a Masonic head north. lodge, free library, free school, amateur dramatic In 1889, Puget Mill was second in produc club, and steeple-topped Congregational church. tion among the 310 mills whose combined Their front-gabled clapboard buildings with annual output of $17.4 million helped steeply pitched roofs, picket fences, and tree- Washington Territory gain statehood that year. lined streets replicated those of New England. The company had slipped into eighth place by Even the food served at the company's cookhouse recalled Maine. George Hoyt In this c. 1950 remembered, "We liked baked photograph, the Port Gamble mill beans, Johnnie cake, and cod and wharves fish. We had them at Port [demolished] Gamble just the way we did at dominate the 1 shoreline to the East Machias." east. "Clan Machias," as those from Maine came to be called, topped the town's social hierar chy. Other New Englanders and employees of English descent equaled or were close behind in status. Much lower on the social scale were members of the local S'Klallam tribe, Kanakas from the Sandwich Islands, immi-
CRM No 8—1999 2} The house on grants from Northern and the right sur Central Europe, and first-gener vives to show how mill workers ation Americans who labored in and their families or near the mill. The Chinese lived at Port workers remained at the bottom Gamble. Puget Mill Company of the social ladder throughout built the house their 65 years at Port Gamble. in 1901 in the The company provided the new neighbor hood on the S'Klallam with land across the western edge of bay for a separate town, but the town and rented remainder of this diverse work it for $6.00 per month. force lived within the confines of Port Gamble. Like other owners of company towns, Puget Mill promoted high production by tury, Scandinavians, other European immigrants, minimizing conflict among employees of diverse and first-generation European-Americans consti cultures. Rich documentary evidence coupled tuted the majority of the town's inhabitants. with Port Gamble's well-preserved town plan and more than half its primary buildings reveal that Children of these families attended the Port it accomplished this by establishing rules and Gamble school, and all were invited to the com assigning housing according to ethnic and racial pany's elaborate Christmas and Fourth of July background or class. festivities. But mill owners scorned the immi grants, so it is not surprising that beginning in Port Gamble did not follow the popular 1892 Puget Mill erected simple rental cottages in plan of the 1820s that blanketed New England a new neighborhood to the west of town while it and the Upper Midwest with churches and com continued to construct more elaborate dwellings mercial buildings clustered around a village along Rainier Avenue in the original residential green. It instead took a linear form and its district. The seven surviving houses built in the church stood in the residential district, a com 2 newly formed "New England" neighborhood mon pattern in sawmill towns in Maine. By between 1892 and 1904 reflect the company's 1880 the church, school, Masonic lodge, park, philosophy of providing houses "comfortable and more than three dozen houses stood along and suitable for the purpose for which they are the top of the bluff overlooking Gamble Bay. built."3 The mill, office, store, market, cookhouse, dance hall, and most of the housing for single men The town plan underwent further change stood on the shore below, an arrangement that in the early-20th century when everything but insulated families from dirt, noise, and disorder. the mill was rebuilt on the bluff to accommodate expanded milling operations. An elaborate store, White families, united by language, cul community hall, and hotel were erected at the ture, and race, at first lived intermixed with little north end of Rainier Avenue. Housing for single distinction by class, a typical New England pat laborers was constructed to the west, as close to tern. The main street, Rainier Avenue, is still the mill as possible without impinging on the lined with a combination of relatively elaborate finest family homes on Rainier Avenue. houses built by Maine natives and rental cottages Most of the single men who worked at Port built by Puget Mill. Gamble and other mills were unskilled laborers During the 1880s, the nucleus of white who stayed for a few weeks or months and families shifted as the company hired Northern moved on. Puget Mill required them to live in European immigrants brought to Puget Sound town so it could monitor their behavior. by the newly completed transcontinental rail Kanakas, State of Mainers, Virginians, Russians, road. By 1889, so many Scandinavians worked Cubans, Australians, Germans, Scots, Finns, and for Puget Mill to earn money to buy farms that men from other cultures lived side by side in the they constituted approximately 20 percent of the accommodations the company provided. They population in and around Port Gamble, an enor slept on their own bedrolls and ate at the com mous increase over the .05 percent they repre pany cookhouse where plentiful, well-cooked sented a decade earlier. At the turn of the cen food was served "family style" and the tale was
24 CRMN08—1999 told that men ate so quickly that if the lights appeared in the federal or territorial census. One went out for a moment a man's hand might be was a woman housekeeper, 18-year-old Theong speared by four forks reaching for a piece of Wine. She was likely one of the first Chinese meat. No housing for these men survives, but women in Washington Territory since the federal construction records from the turn of the cen census lists just two in 1860 and two in 1870. tury do. They show the bunkhouse, the most She probably lived in the Chinese quarters on basic accommodation, was built in 1903 by the beach. employees, dozens of cabins were solidly and During the 1870s and 1880s, the Chinese simply built by a Seattle contractor, and that the were driven out of towns throughout the region, rooming house was designed by a leading archi sometimes killed. Overt friction at Port Gamble 4 tect. was minimized by Puget Mill which protected There is no evidence the Chinese workers the Chinese who worked not only as laborers, roomed with men of other races at any time. but as servants, laundrymen, cooks, and time They always lived apart, first in "quarters" on the keepers in the mill. During the mid-1880s the beach near the cookhouse, later in a laundry on Knights of Labor forced many Puget Sound mill the edge of town, and finally in a dormitory owners to fire Chinese workers, but failed to originally built for female hotel workers. The remove them permanently from Port Gamble dormitory survives, surrounded by acres of park according to resident Ethel Eames. that suggest it was a suitable location for protect [The union] wanted white cooks to replace ing young women and for insulating the Chinese the Chinese. Cyrus Walker [the manager] from other inhabitants. told [the] Chinese cooks to go to their house, Shunned for their foreign ways, the which was a little ways away, 'to stay there Chinese were especially unpopular during times and keep quiet.' The white cooks arrived, and of high unemployment because they endured Yeates who had charge of the cookhouse told unpleasant work for low pay, one reason mill them to make 100 pies. The new cooks did owners employed them. Faced with high not know how to make 100 pies, 'and you turnover among laborers, mill owners likewise call yourself cooks,' said Yeates. He showed benefited from the contract system through them. They lasted about a week. The men which they hired fixed numbers of Chinese kicked about the food, and the Chinese cooks workers from a single agent for a specified period returned. * of time. Animosity toward the Chinese on Puget Sound ebbed after their numbers declined dur Nearly all the Chinese who entered the ing the 1880s. If not assimilated, they were toler United States between 1849 and 1882 were men. ated. In 1920, for example, Yut Kong Eng, 14- Those women who did come to America were year old son of a laundryman at Port Gamble, This 1907 photo commonly from destitute families, sold as ser shows how the apparently attended school there since he is vants or prostitutes. Thirteen Chinese lived at S'Klallam included in a class picture of the period. adapted New Port Gamble in 1870, the first year they Hostility again flared up during the 1930s, and England-style architecture the American Federation of while siting their Labor forced the Chinese out of houses close to their jobs shortly after the com the water pany recognized the union in according to tra ditional practice 1935- The 15 Chinese report (right fore edly offered to remain if they ground). The were hired as a unit by the com Port Gamble mill pany's owners, but no work and wharves are visible in the could be found for so many so background. they returned to China. The town above The separate town the the mill is obscured by S'Klallam lived in across the bay smoke arising and the separate entrance in the from the saw cookhouse-market built in 1895 dust pile that for their use indicates they too burned at every mill town 24 were segregated from the rest of hours a day. the community. But even the
CRM No 8—1999 ^ Indian hostilities of the mid-1850s failed to gen convey its historic character and reveal how it erate the level of ill will the Chinese suffered. functioned as a company town for more than a The S'Klallam lived on or near Gamble Bay century. A National Historic Landmark since when the sawmill was established in 1853. When 1967, it is the only early community on Puget the federal government assigned them to a distant Sound that is so unaltered. The town is presently reservation with their enemies the Skokomish operated by Olympic Resource Management, a two years later, only eight S'Klallam moved there. company whose major stockholders are descen The rest squatted on land owned by the mills sur dants of Puget Mill founder Andrew Jackson rounding the Sound. In 1858 the S'Klallam lived Pope. Rental income only partially offsets the on Puget Mill land across the bay from Port cost to maintain the town, a situation the com Gamble in a village of longhouses and small pany seeks to rectify through a mixture of dwellings.7 By 1884 they had New England-style tourism and development. The family's apprecia houses and a church led by a native Catholic tion of the town's historic ties and its prestige as a priest.8 Photographs show narrow, front-gabled National Historic Landmark, widespread affec buildings with milled siding strung in a row tion for the community throughout the region, along the beach in traditional S'Klallam fashion. and the evolving working relationship between The town, named Boston, lacked many of the the National Park Service's Columbia Cascade amenities Port Gamble residents enjoyed. While Support Office and Olympic Resource every dwelling at Port Gamble apparently had Management auger well for a cooperative effort running water by 1880 and electricity by the turn that ensures that Port Gamble continues to tell of the century, those at Boston had neither the story of its cultural diversity. although the S'Klallam lived there until the fed eral government purchased the land in 1935 and Notes rebuilt the village further inland. 1 Stewart Holbrook, unpublished notes concerning Long after Boston was founded, the visit to East Machias on behalf of Pope & Talbot, S'Klallam held week-long potlatches, the ritual July-August 1944, Pope & Talbot Archives, Port Gamble, 29. redistribution of goods that reinforced the tribal 2 Kirk Mohney, architectural historian, Maine hierarchy, but they soon adopted the ways of the Historic Preservation Commission, telephone con whites. Indian Agent Myron Eells described their versation with Jan Eakins, March 1996. habits in 1887, noting their use of brooms, 3 Cyrus Walker, "Policy of the Companies, Port chairs, dishes, and lamps. He further stated that Gamble AND S. E, 1892," memo to Pope & many had abandoned the traditional way of Talbot, 29 January 1893, Scrapbook No. 176, Pope smoking salmon in favor of the New England & Talbot Archives, Port Gamble. * Puget Mill Co. Construction and Repairs, Port style of salting it and that, "Potatoes, flour, and Gamble, Section 1, 1890, Pope & Talbot Archives, sugar are almost as indispensable to them as to Port Gamble. 10 the whites." -* Ethel Eames, interview by Helen Gibbs, typed The S'Klallam reportedly began performing notes, 2 February 1948, Pope & Talbot Archives, tasks around the mill and selling the dogfish oil Port Gamble. that lighted it soon after its construction. They " Cyrus T. Walker, interview by Edwin Coman, typed helped keep the mill running during the late notes, 1 October 1947, Pope & Talbot Archives, 1850s as white men joined the gold rush on the Port Gamble. "Nautical Chart of Port Gamble, WA Territory, Fraser River. Special Indian Agent Charles E. 1858," U. S. Coast Survey map, at NOAA, Roblin reported in 1919 that Puget Mill found Riverdale, MD and them to be good workers, while a foreman inter http://anchor.ncd.noaa.gOv//states/wa.htm. viewed in 1948 described the S'Klallam as "won 8 Edwin G. Ames, "History of Port Gamble, derful sawyers and good edgermen and trimmer Washington," 1884, Pope & Talbot Archives, Port men."11 When the mill closed in 1995, Gamble, 10. S'Klallam still worked there—Lloyd Fulton, a 9 Sean C. Hess, "Little Boston Archaeological Site and Traditional Cultural Property," unpublished third generation employee, was among the men National Register of Historic Places nomination who fed the last log up the chute. form prepared 1991, Boas, Inc., Seattle, Port Gamble is no longer the living town it Washington. was before the mill closed, but its intact plan, 10 Myron Eells, "TheTwana, Chemakum, and surviving architectural resources, and landscape Klallam Indians of Washington Territory, Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian
26 CRM No 8—1999 Institution." Washington: Government Printing Coman or Helen Gibbs, typed notes, February Office, 1889, National Archives, Pacific Northwest 1948, Pope & Talbot Archives, Port Gamble. Region, 613-4. 11 Extract from Report of Charles E. Roblin, Special Jan Eakins, an independent consultant in historic preser Indian Agent, Jan. 31, 1919, On Non-Reservation vation, served as project historian for the recent HAER Indians of Western Washington. Various Tribes, documentation on Port Gamble. National Archives, Pacific Northwest Region, unpaginated. William Haller, interview by Edwin Photos courtesy Pope & Talbot Archives.
A Multicultural Melting Pot in Ketchikan, Alaska
ocated in the City of Ketchikan in activities that would have been more unlikely Lsouthern southeast Alaska, the in the lower 48 States. Stedman-Thomas Historic District developed By the mid-20th century, the social iso from the social segregation of American lation eased; and the white and multicultural Indian and other ethnic groups from the rest communities began to patronize each other's of the village. Members of the Tlingit tribe businesses. Gradually, ethnic minorities took established fishing camps at the mouth of the up residence in other parts of town. Today, the Ketchikan Creek to trap the abundant supply buildings of Stedman-Thomas illuminate the of salmon. In the 1880s, the salmon supply diverse community that once inhabited the drew the first European Americans to area. Many of the half-million tourists who Ketchikan. As the population grew, the whites visit Ketchikan annually travel through the lived to the north of Ketchikan Creek, while neighborhood. the American Indian population settled on the southern shore in what is currently known as the Stedman-Thomas Historic District. By first decade of the 20th century, other groups migrated to Ketchikan, including Japanese, Chinese, and Filipinos, who settled in Indian Town. Later, they were joined by Koreans, Mexicans, South Americans, some European immigrants, and African Americans. Living in geographic isolation from the dominant white community, the groups coalesced in the area that became known as Stedman-Thomas, named for two This c. 1925 view of the Stedman-Thomas community was taken businessmen. Although they lived during the height of the neighborhood's role as a multicultural melt in isolation from the rest of the vil ing pot. In February 1996, the Stedman-Thomas Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of lage, many residents engaged in its role in the history of commerce and ethnic groups in Ketchikan. commercial and organizational Photo courtesy Tongass Historical Society.
CRM No 8—1999 27 Louretta C. Wimberly Making a Difference, Making It Happen
n May 2, 1978, before the glass windows. This firm also referred to the break of day, a tornado almost church as one of the finest church edifices they demolished my church as it had surveyed. roared through Selma causing I became the Preservation Officer for the muchO destruction and damage in the area. At the church restoration. The congregation initiated same time, I was blessed with a vision—"that the the pledge card method to raise the building church must be restored." This was the church of fund. Peoples Bank and Trust Company estab my birth and foreparents, the place that nurtured lished a First Baptist Church tornado fund for my religious belief, fueled my racial pride and public donations and a Small Business culture, inspired my educational aspirations, and Administration loan was made available. In June cultivated the love for my people and country. 1978,1 went to the Alabama Historical Although the building looked "lost" and Commission and was assigned to Ellen Mertins, a members of the congregation talked about bull staff member, to get technical assistance and dozing the remaining structure, I knew in my advice needed to complete the National Register heart and believed the voice in my dream that the nomination. In 1979, the church was listed in church could and must be saved not just for me, the National Register of Historic Places. This site but for future generations. Our successors must possesses national significance in that it was the see these stones and learn the great history of first black church in the free black neighborhood, their fore parents and be inspired to make their and played a role in the history of the National contributions to the community and their coun Voting Rights Bill of 1965 and the Civil Rights try. I speak of the First Colored Baptist Church Movement for the black belt counties in of Selma, Alabama, chartered in 1845. In 1894, Alabama. It was the exclusive venue for mass the congregation constructed a new building meetings and training conducted by the Dallas constructed on Sylvan Street (Martin Luther County Voters League, Student Nonviolent King Street), designed and built by Dave West, Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the local the son of an ex-slave and church member. On its distribution for food and clothing of the unem completion, the church was hailed a "the finest ployed. Because of the preponderance of activities colored church edifice in Alabama." related to the voting rights struggle, First Baptist It was not easy convincing the congregation Church became known throughout the region as to restore and preserve our great church. Almost "The Movement Church." It marks the begin none of them had knowledge of the Alabama ning of the National Historic Selma to Historical Commission (AHC) and what it Montgomery Voters Rights Trail. During this meant to be listed in a state register and/or time, I met several black people working to pre National Register of Historic Places. A week later, serve places they thought too important to let go the congregation met to decide what to do. Filled as well. We came together as a "Black Caucus" to with passion and intensity, I pleaded for the speak for the preservation of more black sites in church because it was too important to our his the State of Alabama. tory to let go. The congregation agreed to hire a Early in 1980, Larry Oakes was hired as the construction engineer/architectural firm with Executive Director/SHPO of AHC. He listened experience in preservation to evaluate the dam to our concerns and being a visionary leader, in aged building. If the firm was negative about the 1983, invited a few key African-American preser building's prospects, I would give up my plea. If vationists to hold a workshop at the AHC's the firm was positive, we would begin plans for annual preservation conference. Out of that restoration. The firm's answer was not only yes, meeting, a task force headed by Richard Dozier, but the employees were amazed at how well the the first chairperson, voted to form a council to church was constructed and impressed by the advise the AHC. The commission, which is an design and fine interior and the remaining stain
28 CRM No 8—1999 The First Annual Projects of the Council are educational pro Conference of grams designed to promote awareness in commu the SRAAPA in Birmingham, AL, nities and among groups who want to preserve was hosted by landmarks associated with the history of African the Black Americans. They include producing calendars Heritage Council- featuring historically black churches, a poster Alabama about Alabama's historical black colleges and uni Historical versities, three slide shows, and the Selma to Commission. From left to right Montgomery Historic Trail study booklet. We are Louretta also sponsored traveling exhibits on black historic Wimberly, BHC churches and Spider Martin's photos that chroni chairperson, J. White Sykes, cled the Voting Rights march in 1965. We part Georgia Black nered with the Honorable John Lewis to exhibit Heritage Spider Martin's Selma to Montgomery Historic Council, and March photos in Washington DC. Sierra Neal, State Board members of the Black Heritage Coordinator, Council do more than just have meetings. National Trust Members are asked to speak at local and state for Historic Preservation, preservation meetings, assist with formation of Southeast similar groups in other states, appear at national Regional Office, forums as panelists and presenters, and sponsor independent state agency, has a number of coun Charleston, SC. the annual BHC Conference. In 1999, we spon Photo courtesy cils to advise it on a wide variety of issues. sored our first State District Forum and hosted the author. Once we were organized, with bylaws and the first Southeast Region African American officers, the interested group was chartered in Preservation Alliance conference (SRAAPA). 1984 as the Black Heritage Council (BHC) of As the BHC chairperson, I have spoken to the AHC in order to ensure that the buildings, the Association for the Study of African sites, and districts associated with the history of American Life and testified before Congress for African Americans are preserved for future gener the designation of the Selma to Montgomery ations. What did we do? We went around the Trail as a National Historic Trail. I was a legisla state and met with local groups, providing them tive lobbyist for the 1996 Omnibus Bill that pro with advice and assistance in organizing local vided for the designation of the trail and for the preservation efforts. The best example of grass HBCU Preservation Initiative program. I served roots preservationists' success was hearing it first as a grassroots community representative at a hand from the BHC, the first of its kind to be national scenic byway workshop, a panelist/con established by a state historic preservation office. sultant at the first National Conference on At the request of the BHC, the commission Historic Roads, and worked with the SRAAPA as immediately employed an African-American the point person for nomination of the 103 preservation professional, Shirley Quallis Range, HBCU's on the National Trust list of Eleven as a National Register Coordinator from 1983 to Most Endangered Properties in 1998. These 1988. Because historic preservation is not a field examples demonstrate that grassroots preserva that has attracted African-American students, the tionists are key to a good quality and well BHC worked with AHC to create an internship planned preservation program. program to provide black students with exposure The founders of the BHC believed in to historic preservation. In the years that followed proactive efforts and in working with others. And eight students have participated in paid opportu it's true, when we collaborate we get more done. nities to learn about historic preservation by This belief is reflected in our partnerships with a working with preservationists in the work place. wide range of groups. We serve on local, state, Dorothy Taylor, who worked two summers as an and national preservation committees like the intern, has returned as a full-time employee Montgomery Improvement Association's appointed the Black Heritage Coordinator. She Greyhound Bus Station 1961 Freedom Riders coordinates all the BHC activities, programs, project, partnering with the Alabama Governor including all other office administrative services, and the Alabama Department of Transportation and internship supervision.
CRM No 8—1999 29 to seek ISTEA grants for the bus station and the All of the opportunities I have had to repre Selma to Montgomery Historic March Trail. sent the BHC in the state, region, and nation is We have developed a working partnership an extension of the founders' vision. It was with the State Tourism Office, co-sponsored book through God's blessings that we came together lectures, such as the one by David Halberstam on and delighted in the privileges to share with oth the Nashville students role in the freedom rides, ers the works of the BHC-AHC as living wit and helped promote preservation activities of nesses to how working together and sharing ideas many more groups and societies. Membership on can become the proving ground for the healing the BHC helps us to get involved and help with and reconciliation among the races. We bask in projects under consideration statewide or nation the joy afforded all who work to save our historic ally and provide responsible leadership. landmarks and rewrite the history to reflect the The BHC founders' "vision" in 1983 is like totality of the diverse contributors.. .the legacy of a single wave turning into a swelling tide of inter this great nation. est and proactive efforts to include all peoples Step by step and day by day we are develop contributions in the preservation system today. ing a black heritage network, forming partner The National Trust's and National Park Service's ships, and working together with preservation initiatives on race and diversity in preservation are organizations so that when we are gone there will a fitting tribute to the memory of my friends and be others to take our place. For more information co-founders who are no longer with us; and that about our organization, our web page is one individual expression of love of "place" in
Africanisms in America A Conference on the Shared Heritage of Two Continents
^\ fricanisms in America" is a confer- "Africanisms in America" is being orga jtlLence to be held in New Orleans, LA, nized by the National Association for African September 26-30, 2000. Conference sessions American Historic Preservation (NAAAHP) in and events will explore myriad ways people of partnership with the National Park Service, African descent have helped shape America. the National Endowment for the Humanities, Topics to be covered include African influ the Association of African American ences on aspects of America's material and Museums, the National Conference of social history, and the impact of African tradi Mayors, the George Wright Society, and the tions on American culture and humanities. African Studies Program at Indiana University. One track of the conference will be devoted to The built environment track is a collaborative how Africans and their traditions shaped the effort of the National Park Foundation, the American-built environment. The goal of this National Park Service, NAAAHP, the U.S. track is to assist in the fuller identification, Committee of the International Council on evaluation, documentation, and preservation Monuments and Sites, Howard University, the of buildings, sites, districts, structures, and Smithsonian Institution, and the Slave Route objects. The conference is expected to draw Project of UNESCO. some 600 to 700 attendees, including preser For information on this conference, call vationists, arts leaders, historians, educators, toll-free 1-888-358-8388 or visit the web site policy makers, and community leaders from
30 CRN! No 8—1999 Cari Goetcheus Booker T. Washington The Man and His Landscape
he Oaks served as the residence of Booker T. Washington, presi dent of Tuskegee Institute during its formative years. The house The Oaks, home and itTs grounds provide important insight into of Booker T. Washington at the life of Washington as an educator, a national Tuskegee spokesman for African Americans, and a family Institute, was a three-story member. The Oaks is incorporated into the his Queen Anne toric campus of Tuskegee Institute, which was style house. The designated a National Historic Landmark in property included a con 1965 and was established as the Tuskegee servatory and a Institute National Historic Site in 1974. well-house. While much of the work on The Oaks has Photo courtesy focused on the residence itself, more recently a Alabama established the Normal School for col the Alabama ored teachers at Tuskegee. Although passage of Collection, Cultural Landscape Inventory (CLI) was under Detroit taken to provide information on the location and the legislation was quite an accomplishment, it Publishing historical development of the landscape sur afforded a mere $2,000 per annum for teachers' Company. rounding the house. The CLI survey consisted of salaries with no provisions for acquiring a physi a site visit as well as review of existing narrative, cal plant or equipment. The Normal School for graphic, and photographic records. Additionally, colored teachers at Tuskegee in Macon County, Mr. Edward Pryce, landscape architect and for Alabama opened in an abandoned cotton planta mer grounds supervisor for the University, partic tion populated with a cabin, old kitchen, stable, ipated in the project. Mr. Pryce's input was and old hen house on the property.' important, for as a student at Tuskegee, he Arriving at Tuskegee as principal, Booker T worked directly under David A. Williston, one of Washington, a graduate of Hampton Institute in the first African-American landscape architects Virginia, opened the Tuskegee Normal School's who was integrally involved in the development first class on July 4, 1881. The first permanent of the campus including The Oaks. building was constructed in 1882, designed by Development of Tuskegee Institute instructors and built by the students. By 1893, the Tuskegee Normal School was incorporated as In the Black Belt of Alabama during the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. Reconstruction, virtually no state legislature rep resentative could be elected without the support Washington had three objectives for of the black vote.' With this kind of leverage, Tuskegee. The first was to train teachers to return "the accounts say, Colonel WE Foster, a to the plantation districts and to show the people Confederate Army veteran, and the democratic there how to put new energy and new ideas into contender to the Alabama Senate, approached farming as well as into the intellectual, moral, Louis Adams, a former slave and a highly and religious life of the people. The second was regarded man in the Tuskegee community" con to develop crafts and occupational skills to equip cerning support for his election. An accom students for jobs in the trades and agriculture. plished tradesman and educator in trade skills, The last was to make Tuskegee a complete educa Adams pledged the black vote to Foster, if he tional facility that would encompass not only the would support a proposal to establish a "Negro classroom and workshop, but also training in Normal School" at Tuskegee. high moral character and absolute cleanliness/ Upon his election to the state legislature, Tuskegee prospered in part because Foster kept his word and on February 21, 1881, Washington won widespread support in both the
CRM No 8—1999 31 North and South, and was recognized as one of By 1906, Williston's plans for Washington's the leaders of the black race after his speech at the residence were implemented, including a picket Cotton States and International Exposition in fence on the perimeter of the front and side 1895. He traveled extensively and spoke convinc yards, tree plantings along Old Montgomery ingly, making the Institute known and respected Road, numerous tree and shrub plantings, as well among people of wealth and influence. as a small line of trees on the eastern property True to theTuskegee vision of an all-black boundary. At the rear of the house were a veg institution, Washington brought some of the etable garden, cold frames, carriage house, well- brightest black talent of the day to Tuskegee. house, and a gazebo. Adjacent to the gazebo on George Washington Carver arrived in 1898 from the house side were young shade trees. Except for Iowa State University where he was already a the pecans and fruit trees, all the other trees were renowned botanist. The first black architect to probably native species transplanted from the graduate from Massachusetts Institute of surrounding woods into the yard as was the fash Technology, Robert Taylor, came in 1892 to head ion at that time. the Mechanical Trades Department and ulti During Williston's four-year absence from mately designed many of the campus buildings. the campus, it appears Washington relied on Finally, David A. Williston, considered the first George W Carver for landscape advice. In 1908 black professional landscape architect, arrived at he asked Carver: Tuskegee in 1902, and after 1910 served as I want you to go through my yard and garden superintendent of buildings and grounds. carefully and arrange to put out in the yard The Oaks, 1899-1925 and in the garden together about two dozen trees or pieces of shrubbery. I want you to When he first arrived in Tuskegee, Booker T make a careful study of the whole situation Washington, his wife Margaret and children lived and put out such trees and shrubbery as will in a house that belonged to Tuskegee Institute. be suitable for that climate. You can get a Between 1889 and 1893, Washington purchased good many ideas from the various magazines two parcels of land along Old Montgomery and outdoor life as well as from the cata Road, the main road that fronted the campus, for logues. I want some trees and shrubbery also to put in my chicken yard/ a residence. Using student labor, the construction of the house served as a learning tool for the stu According to the c. 1911 map prepared for dents. By 1899, construction of the house was the Historic Landscape Report, a carriage drive and underway and the family moved in by August of walkway, both of chert, accessed the lot. The cir 1900. cular carriage drive, located east of the house, cir The three-story brick Queen Anne style cled under the porte-cochere and back to the street house was located at the front of the two-acre lot with a spur leading to the carriage house in the along Old Montgomery Road. Paid student backyard, southwest of the house. The carriage labor, using shovel and pick, likely excavated the house and barn appear to have been placed in site, as this was then the practice of earning and between the flower and vegetable garden. On the learning at the Institute. largest portion of the backyard, Washington Much of the work of Williston, the land indulged in vegetable gardening and animal hus scape architect of Washington's house, still sur bandry, which gave him the satisfaction of being vives at the Oaks. A graduate of Cornell self sufficient while maintaining his health University in 1898, Williston served as Professor through exercise. It is unknown whether any of of Horticulture and Landscape Gardener at this layout was developed by Williston. However Tuskegee from 1902 to 1906 and then at some point Williston planted a Macartney Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds from Rose, which still exists on the western boundary 1910 to 1929, in charge of building maintenance of the site. as well as all landscape planning, construction Little is known about the fencing and out and maintenance. He oversaw the landscape buildings at the rear of The Oaks associated with development of the campus directly until 1929, Washington's chickens and livestock. However, a when he moved to Washington, DC, to enter photograph c. 1915 indicates a picket fence edg full-time private practice. From 1929 to 1948, ing the side yard, with both low and high board Williston guided the development of the fences around the functional gardens. The loca Tuskegee campus as a consultant. tion of the chicken yard was also confirmed through an oral history interview of a neighbor.
32 CRM No 8—1999 Booker T. Washington died in November others. Because two of the pecans had been act 1915; however, his family remained at The Oaks ing as an effective screen between the adjacent until 1925, when Margaret J. Washington, parking lot and the house, their loss is highly Booker T.'s wife, died. noticeable. The third pecan was located on the The Oaks, 1925-1974 western side of the house. A Macartney Rose After Margaret's death in June 1925, the hedge (planted by David Williston) and the com Tuskegee Institute Board of Trustees bought The bination yaupon holly and privet hedges on the Oaks from Washington's children. The furniture east and west edges of the lot were used histori was sold at auction, except those pieces in the cally, while some of the foundation planting has den and in some of the bedrooms, and the den been revamped using non-historic ornamental was kept in the same order Washington had given plants. An irrigation system has also been it during his lifetime. For almost 10 years, the installed. A recently established yucca bed under rest of the house was maintained by the Women's one of the older red cedars has precedent as seen Club of Tuskegee Institute as a meeting space. in historic photographs. Eventually, The Oaks became a student services Summary building and alumni office, and was remodeled The cultural landscape of The Oaks offers in the 1950s for administrative offices. The den, not only insight into period plantings and uses of where Booker T. Washington based his opera The Oaks from its beginnings with the Institute, tions of Tuskegee for years, was always kept as but also an understanding of the importance of museum space in honor of Washington. the site as the home of Booker T Washington, There is little known about landscape president of Tuskegee Institute. Many of the his changes during Tuskegee's tenure of The Oaks. A toric landscape features have been retained since photograph, c. 1934, indicates that the picket the house was first constructed over 100 years fence was replaced with a low brick wall, and ago, as well as being a showplace for black talent simple grass panels and mature trees composed in the fields of architecture, landscape architec the landscape instead of the numerous trees, ture, horticulture, and social and political history. shrubs, and benches of earlier photographs. The circular drive was asphalt paved in 1958. Over Notes 1 time the former vegetable garden and area to the The Black Belt is a region in Alabama where histor south was allowed to go to weeds and trees, such ically the fertile soils and mild climate were con ducive for the growth of cotton. By the 1850s, so that by the late 1950s when multipurpose courts many enslaved Africans had been brought to the were constructed on the site, numerous large area, that blacks outnumbered whites by 60 percent trees were removed indicating the land had been to 90 percent. Because of this ratio, the black fallow for some time. majority possessed political power by virtue of its The Oaks, 1974-present superior size. Since 1974, when Congress authorized the 2 Grandison, Kenrick Ian, "From Plantation to Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site, NPS Campus: Progress, Community, and the lay of the tenure of The Oaks has primarily focused on Land in shaping the Early Tuskegee Campus." Landscape Journal, p. 8. preservation and stabilization of the resource 3 Ibid. including the landscape. In 1978, the historic 4 Ibid., p. 9. landscape of The Oaks was researched with the 5 Ibid., p. 6. information compiled into a Historic Landscape 6 Ibid., p. 13. Report. ' Thompson, Cathy. Booker T. Washington/Tuskegee Although a thorough study of plant materi Institute: Background Research. 8 als did not occur, there appears to be a combina Grandison, pp. 14-15. tion of historic plant material and new introduc ' Williams-Russell and Associates, Edward L. Pryce, R.L.A. Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site, tions on site. Several extant pecans, cedars, and Tuskegee, Alabama. Historic Landscape Report. magnolias have been identified through maps and historic photographs as having existed during Cari Goetcheus is a historical landscape architect in the the Washington family tenure. Hurricane Opal Park Historic Structures and Cultural Landscapes (1991) did the most damage to the vegetative Program, National Park Service. integrity of the site with the loss of at least two to three large (20-30") pecan trees, and damage to
CRM No 8—1999 33 Recording Decorative Artwork at the Aquatic Park Bathhouse, San Francisco Maritime NHP
ime magazine described San r Francisco's Aquatic Park as "one of the most sophisticated WPA building jobs in the U.S."* One of California's largest construc tion projects comissioned by the Works Progress Administration, the bathhouse is the most notable structure in the complex and exempli fies the streamlined Moderne style of architec ture. Strong nautical elements in the design were inspired by such luxury liners as Normandie and Nieuw Amsterdam, and several distinguished artists were responsible for the the bathhouse. Johnson was a nationally recog adornment of the exterior and interior. While nized sculptor and one of only two black artists the artwork of the Aquatic Park Complex is in California to participate in the WPA pro notable for its quality, it is also significant for its gram. Under the direction of Hilaire Hiler, an surreal and abstract forms not commonly found in internationally recognized muralist, Johnson WPA projects. depicted abstract and stylized forms of sea life and nautical references by incising lines into The work of one artist, Sargent Johnson, is green slate panels that surround the main represented in the entrance and back porch of entrance into the building. The design for the back porch continues with the use of maritime Time, February 6, 1939, page 41. motifs rendered in multi-colored tile mosaics. Begun in 1936, by mid-1938 work on the murals and tile mosaics still was not complete. Provisions for the artists to work beyond the official termi nation date of January 22, 1939, were never implemented due to difficulties that arose with the concessionaire. Hiler was not permitted back on the premises to complete his murals and Johnson, angered at what he considered a misuse of the public facilities, refused to com plete the tile mosaics. The mosaics remain, to this day, unfinished. The public and critics were overwhelmingly impressed with the artists' work when the building was officially opened on January 22, 1939.
Reference Historical background of Aquatic Park Bathhouse based on the National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, Dec. 12, 1983. Dana Lockett Historical Architect Historic American Engineering Record
34 CRM No 8—1999 Sargent Johnson (1887-1967)
argent Johnson was among the San SFrancisco Bay Area artists commis sioned by the WPA in the late 1930s to pro vide decorative artwork for public building projects. In his personal work Johnson produced an art expressive of black people. It is the pure American Negro I am con cerned with, aiming to show the natural beauty and dignity in that characteristic lip and that characteristic hair, bearing and manner; and I wish to show that beauty tribal art and Mexican forms studied during not so much to the white man as to the Negro himself. his travels in that country. A lover of materials and craft, Johnson constantly experimented Over the course of his long career, with the potential of new techniques and the Johnson worked with many different materi perfection of his work in a traditional media. als, including clay and cast stone, lithographs Although of mixed Swedish, Native and drawings on paper, wood for reliefs and American, and black ancestry, Johnson identi sculpture, metals, both cast and welded, and fied himself as a Negro throughout his life. enamel on metal. His style, evolving and Arriving in the Bay Area from Boston in changing over the years, was influenced by art 1915, he attended the A.W. Best School of deco and synthetic cubism as well as African Art. He later studied at the California School of Fine Art where he worked with Ralph Stackpole and Benny Bufano. Beginning in 1925 his work appeared in numerous exhi bitions, both here and on the East Coast. He was honored following his death by retrospective exhibitions at the Oakland museum in 1971 and at the San Francisco Art Commission in 1977.
Ted Miles Park Historian San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Photos this page and page 34 courtesy Historic American Buildings Survey.
CRM No 8—1999 35 William W. Gwaltney Climbing Jacob's Ladder Creating a Professional Museum Partnership
y interest in museum work Chief Historian Dwight Pitcaithley about contin predated my joining the ued funding for my connection with this organi National Park Service. It led zation. The following year, I attended the AAMA me to my first museum posi annual meeting at Tampa, Florida. In order to tion aMs a museum technician and later as museum stimulate interest in the NAI, I asked for a table- curator at Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site top exhibit to be shipped from NAI headquarters in Colorado and as site manager at the Frederick in Ft. Collins, Colorado. My plan was to use the Douglass National Historic Site in Washington, exhibit to help AAMA members better under DC. It was while I was at the Douglass Home stand what interpretation was and how the NAI that I became acquainted with the African could assist the AAMA. American Museum Association (AAMA). My When the exhibit arrived at the hotel, I supervisor at the time, Dorothy Benton, encour unpacked it and began to set it up. The exhibit aged my participation in the AAMA. failed to show a single non-white face. I became active with the AAMA through Disappointed, I took the exhibit down and membership after I decided to try to link the packed it back up and shipped it back to NAI National Association for Interpretation (NAI) headquarters. I later wrote an article for the NAI with the AAMA. In 1991, when I was stationed newsletter in which I addressed the need for NAI in Santa Fe, New Mexico as an interpretive spe to rethink the way in which the organization rep cialist, I applied for and received an Albright- resented itself and recruited members. Wirth Employee Development Grant from the At the Tampa AAMA meeting, I was National Park Service. This grant allowed me to approached by then president of AAMA, Dr. attend a AAMA meeting. My objective was to John Fleming, who at the time also served as the create a three-way partnership between the Director of the National Afro-American Museum National Park Service, the NAI, and the AAMA at Wilberforce, Ohio. Dr. Fleming had numerous to diversify all three organizations and to create a past and present connections with NPS. When synergy that would normalize the interpretation he asked me if I would be interested in serving on of African-American issues in parks and museums. the Board of Directors for the AAMA, I accepted. When I arrived at the AAMA meeting in For a variety of reasons, the original organi Roanoke, Virginia, I found that almost every zation, the AAMA, later dissolved and the succes type and size of museum with an African sor association, the Association of African American focus was represented, from Colonial American Museums (AAAM), was established. Williamsburg to the Smithsonian's Anacostia In 1997,1 facilitated a NPS-sponsored pre- Neighborhood Museum, regional civil rights conference workshop that focused on the issues museums in big cities, and storefront museums of museum interpretation. The instructors for the in the rural South. course were arranged by the Stephen T Mather The mission of the AAMA was to assist its Employee Development Center. Mike Watson, membership by providing the highest level of ser superintendent of Mather provided assistance in vice in educating museum professionals and pro putting together this training in Baltimore, tecting collections. The mission of the NAI is to Maryland. The topics covered were varied but provide professional services, training, and stan followed the interpretive development strategy dards for those working as professional inter and included visitor characteristics, the interpre preters, tour guides, nature guides, and docents. tive equation, tangible and intangible values, and Many NPS interpreters are members of NAI. interpretation in the museum environment. Seeing the potential for long term relation Interpretive park ranger Melinda Day spoke ship between NPS and AAMA, I approached about the exhibit entitled "Black Voices from
36 CRM No 8—1999 Harper's Ferry" and furnishing curator Bill course agenda with the bulk of the coordination Brown discussed historic clothing worn by being ably handled by Mary Robinson of the African Americans in the 19th century. Stephen T. Mather Employee Development Interpretive park ranger Walt McDowney covered Center. natural history for urban audiences, and interpre In September, the workshop participants tive historian David Larsen performed his power came together to make object conservation their ful interpretive program about John Brown's raid focus. As might be expected, the real stars of the on Harpers Ferry. Park ranger Mike Dixon also show were the HFC's conservators. was part of the training team. The purpose of the course was to help par While we only had seating for 45, we ticipants protect and conserve the artifacts in crammed 60 participants into the hotel audito their museums for the future. Understanding rium due to the popularity of the program. what conservators do and knowing when and Because of the high level of enthusiasm for this how to utilize the services of conservators was an pre-conference workshop, when the AAAM s important message for participants to take home. Board of Directors met again in Birmingham, The first day was devoted to helping participants Alabama to plan the 1998 annual meeting, the understand where to obtain information, services, subject of National Park Service sponsored train and supplies relating to conservation. A tour of ing came up again. I recommended a training the HFC followed, which included publications, session focusing on object conservation and collections care, and collections storage. The mounting museum objects in exhibits because I afternoon dealt with developing "scope of collec observed that many of the members of the associ tions statements" and collecting objects to tell a ation were struggling to preserve and exhibit specific story. Discussions focused on how partici objects related to African-American art, history, pants could obtain museum services and assis and culture. tance from other organizations and agencies. The In August of 1998, the annual meeting was evening event was a discussion and artifact dis held in Birmingham, Alabama, in cooperation play with a distinguished graduate of Storer with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. This College. well-attended function included presentations by Day two had the participants meeting with NPS interpreters and volunteers as well as featur Martin Burke and his team of conservators. ing a keynote presentation by National Park Participants visited the various workshops of con Service Director Robert Stanton. servators working in a number of different spe I felt that Harpers Ferry would be an excel cific disciplines. Participants learned some of the lent location to train the AAAM's members for fine points of conserving wood, cloth, ceramics, several reasons. First, the relative proximity of and metal objects. Participants spent much of the National and Dulles Airports made travel easy, day learning methods of mounting exhibits with Harpers Ferry is served by Amtrak, and the out damaging the object. On day three, the par National Park Service s team of professional con ticipants learned about other NPS training servators is headquartered at a new facility in opportunities and the options for obtaining cura nearby Charlestown, West Virginia. Moreover, torial advice, training, and supplies using the the participants would stay in the renovated Internet. dorms once a part of historic Storer College, one William Billingsley, executive director of of the earliest of the historically black colleges in AAAM and 1997-1998 Association President the United States. Participants would also have Juanita Moore, then curator of the Memphis the opportunity to visit Harpers Ferry National Civil Rights Museum, expressed interest in Historic Park and experience interpretive pro another pre-conference workshop. At the 1999 grams. Once again, the Stephen T. Mather winter meeting, newly elected Association presi Employee Development Center and the Harpers dent Rita Organ, curator at the Charles Wright Ferry Center (HFC) staff could not have been Civil Rights Museum in Detroit, presided over a more supportive. Magaly Green at HFC made it discussion of what the 1999 pre-conference possible for two participants to attend the train workshop would be. ing on scholarships. The group decided to attempt a one-day Martin Burke, chief of the conservation lab version of the conservation workshop. The pre- oratory at HFC, took a key role in organizing the conference workshop will be held the day before
CRM No 8—1999 37 the annual conference begins in Detroit, pation in AAAM events. He urged NPS to assist Michigan. Under the leadership of Gary the AAAM and its mission while creating rela Cummins, a team of conservators led by Martin tionships that can help the National Park Service Burke will help even more members of the better accomplish its mission as well. AAAM to preserve and protect relics of the past Given the growing relationship between that are a part of our collective history. Harpers Ferry Center, the Stephen T. Mather This partnership is an example of how peo Employee Development Center, NAI and the ple working together can create and maintain Association of African American Museums, we continuing connections between federal agencies are on our way to meeting that challenge. and non-profit organizations with similar goals. In his keynote speech at the AAAM meeting last William W. Gwaltney is Chief of Interpretation, Rocky summer in Birmingham, Director Stanton chal Mountain National Park. lenged the NPS to commit itself to greater partici
NPS Diversity Web Page
n 1998, as part of my work for the Diversity Advisory Committee of the National I Park Service, I was asked to create a National Park Service web page to assist the com mittee in its efforts to communicate service wide recommendations, strategies, and investiga tions of issues pertaining to the full implementation of workforce diversity in the National Park Service. Although the work of the Diversity Committee continues, the Diversity Web Page is now up and the information on this page can be accessed by any interested person. The Diversity Web Page can be found at
Harry A. Butowsky Historian, Park History Program National Park Service.
38 CRM No 8—1999 Cecil N. McKithan Preserving HBCUs for Future Generations
any people wonder why done soon, they would be in danger of collapse. Historically Black Colleges Schools proposed a total of 130 buildings for and Universities (HBCUs) funding. Eleven were selected and arranged in are important and relevant in priority order according to their historic signifi today'Ms society. Historically, HBCUs were virtu cance, architectural integrity, and level of threat. ally the only institutions of higher learning avail With funds appropriated from fiscal year 1995 to able to African Americans students. During a fiscal year 1999, all of the 11 HBCU buildings time when there were few facilities that wel selected for this initiative have been funded. The comed large gatherings of African Americans, second HBCU program resulted from the guid HBCUs also provided buildings for this purpose. ance of Congressman James Clyburn of South Thus, historically, HBCUs were cornerstones and Carolina. Twelve more schools became eligible focal points of their community. For these rea for funding assistance through the Omnibus sons, HBCUs are important resources in depict Parks Bill of 1996. For both programs, amounts ing the history of black Americans throughout awarded required a 50 percent non-federal match much of the 19th and 20th centuries. by the school. Active preservation efforts directed at Obtaining appropriations and raising the HBCUs date back at least to 1986, when Fisk match were only the beginning of the challenge. University in Nashville, Tennessee received a When funded schools were able to match their Congressional appropriation of $161,000 for grant, they then had serious preservation night much needed repairs on Jubilee Hall, a National mares associated with each building. One of the Historic Landmark. This small appropriation set major problems to be confronted was assault into motion programs that have garnered from environmental contaminants. The most tremendous support and attention and was the deadly of these contaminants are pigeon drop first of its kind given to a historically black col pings, which can cause a disease known as histo lege to aid in the preservation of one of its histor plasmosis. The organism that causes this disease ical resources. Since then upwards of grows in soil that has been enriched with bat or $10,000,000 has been appropriated to various pigeon droppings. It produces spores that can HBCUs for preservation efforts. The McCoy Funds have been dis Administration Building at Rust tributed through two pro College in Holly grams. The first is the Springs, Secretary of the Interior's Mississippi, was the subject of a HBCU Preservation condition assess Initiative. It grew out of dis ment study. cussions between the Photo courtesy National Park Department of the Interior, Service. the United Negro College Fund, and the presidents of colleges and universities wor ried about the fate of some of their most historic buildings. Several of these buildings were in such a deteriorated state, that if work were not
CRM No 8—1999 39 become airborne if disturbed, and inhalation of late 1970s and early 1980s, Fisk University fell these spores may cause infection, primarily of the on hard times and for a second time in its exis lungs, which can result in death. All vacant tence, came close to closing. It was difficult to HBCU buildings that have received funding are convince potential donors and grantors to pro dealing with this problem. The removal of these vide funding for an institution whose future was droppings is an expensive process and must be in doubt. The emergency repair work done to done according to EPA regulations. Jubilee Hall was the first visible and positive sig Asbestos is a second preservation nightmare nal that Fisk was beginning to address campus for HBCUs. Asbestos fibers can cause serious problems. With the completion of the campus health problems if inhaled because they disrupt preservation project, support for Fisk has the normal functioning of the lungs. Again, all improved. Enrollment has shown a steady funded HBCU buildings have this problem, and increase and donors are helping to increase the it must be addressed prior to any rehabilitation endowment. In addition, alumni are again will work occurring. Like the removal of pigeon drop ing to contribute generously. As surroundings pings, asbestos abatement is an expensive process have improved, so have student and faculty atti and must be done according to EPA regulations. tudes about Fisk and its future. Perhaps the most difficult preservation Today, all HBCUs with preserved historic nightmare to deal with is termites, and particu buildings enjoy a renewed sense of tradition and larly the Formosan termite. This menace, which appreciation for their long and distinguished originated in south China, is thought to have records. The schools are benefiting from a greater arrived in New Orleans in wood crates in the understanding of their cultural history. While 1940s. The Formosan termite is a much more preservation efforts cannot be credited solely for aggressive species than native termites. They the rejuvenation of these institutions, they cer bring in everything they need to survive, and are tainly were at the heart of the preservation initia eating through trees, bridges, telephone poles, tives. Students can now pay greater attention to and entire houses throughout Louisiana, Florida, academic pursuits without being distracted by Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, North and South the decay of their school buildings and cultural Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee, just to name a heritage. few states. This termite has threatened about 500 Readers should be mindful of the evolving buildings in the City of New Orleans alone. All role of HBCUs in American life. While they still of the vacant eligible HBCU buildings have ter serve a student body that is predominantly mite damage to some degree. African American, the enrollment in many of A final hazard is lead paint, a toxic material these schools are much more diverse. HBCUs widely used in the United States on both interiors enroll white, Asian, and Hispanic students in and exteriors. If a building has attained an age of greater numbers. They are places where their 50 years, this means that it contains some lead small size allows all students to get to know each paint. All of the buildings in the HBCU pro other, not as stereotypes but as real people with grams are over 50 years old and lead paint has shared interests. The student bodies of HBCUs been detected in each of them. When it deterio increasingly reflect the multicultural demograph rates, lead paint produces paint chips and lead- ics of the 21st century. That is why the preserva laden dust particles that are a known heath haz tion of HBCUs represents the preservation not ard. Lead paint abatement is expensive and just of African American heritage, but of our closely regulated by EPA, and there are also national heritage. worker safety standards established by OSHA. Even with all these nightmares, the HBCU Cecil N. McKithan is Chief, National Register Programs program reaps significant benefits. During the Division, Southeast Regional Office, National Park Service.
40 CRM No 8—1999 Sierra Neal and Jonathan Sanchez Helping Grassroots Preservationists Emerge in the Field
n 1986, after 30 years of teaching state a $5,000 grant by the Louise Semple Taft history in the public schools, Willie Foundation brought community leaders to the Lee Gay retired and began working to Cincinnati conference, and there was an educa preserve historic places in her home tional track on cultural diversity at the town Iof Houston, Texas. She took a particular Charleston, SC, conference in 1990. The final interest in saving a Victorian mansion built by thrust was the 1991 conference, held in one of Benjamin Covington, a prominent African- America's most diverse cities, San Francisco. American doctor. "It was where people like (opera "There were two talks there that I've always singers) Paul Robeson and Marion Anderson remembered," said Peter Brink, National Trust would stay when they visited Houston, since they vice president for programs. "One was by histo couldn't stay in hotels," Gay said. "It was truly a rian David McCullough, who said, "Our picture historic home. A church wanted to move it to put of the past is no longer just a spotlight focused on in a parking lot, but we couldn't get the money a few people. The lights on the stage are coming raised, so it was just torn down." up and those people that have been on the stage Then Gay went to the 1992 National all the time are in the light." The other talk was Preservation Conference in Miami, Fla., with by Henry Cisneros. "He described our nation as assistance from the Emerging Preservation two Americas," Brink said. "One of well-edu Leaders Scholarship Program. It was the first year cated, well-off persons at ease with the quickly the National Trust for Historic Preservation had changing technologies of the future... the other an made a comprehensive effort to include minori America of inadequate education... made up ties in the conference. "It was one of the most largely of older Americans and minorities. The enlivening, enriching experiences I've ever had," conference culminated with an open-mike ses Gay said. "Before going, I only knew of local sion, and we realized that about 97% of us were resources for preservation. If I'd known of the dif white. We pledged in that closing session that the ferent avenues of approaching fund-raising, the next National Preservation Conference would be foundations and such that I learned about in different. Not much later we realized that just Miami, I'm sure we could've preserved the invitations were not enough, we needed to pro Covington House." vide some scholarship assistance if we were seri One piece of black history is lost, but since ous." that Miami conference, many more pieces of The Getty Grant Program kick-started the African-, Asian-, Hispanic-, Native and rural scholarship with $30,000, and over the years, American history have likely been spared the continued support from Getty, the Sara Lee wrecking ball, thanks to a better representation of Foundation and the National Park Service has America coming together each year at the confer kept the program funded well enough to trans ence. In the seven years since its inception, the form the face of subsequent conferences. Emerging Preservation Leaders Program has Originally the Cultural Diversity helped to bring more than 649 preservationists Scholarship, the program is now called the from 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Emerging Preservation Leaders Scholarship, a Rico and the Virgin Islands. move away from what some past winners had The issue of including minorities in the his seen as patronizing. It better fits these preserva toric preservation movement goes back much fur tionists, who, in some cases, emerge in the field ther than the early nineties. Carl Westmoreland of just by attending the conference. Ohio drew attention towards it with an inspiring "The (1995) conference in Fort Worth is address about community preservation at the when I realized that I was a preservationist," said 1971 National Preservation Conference. In 1988, Kevin Cottrell of Buffalo, N.Y. "Although I do it
CRM No 8—1999 •4 1 Recipient of the of Portsmouth said. "When I tell them there's 350 Emerging years of history here, their mouths fall open." Preservation Leaders Nebraska's Nancy Haney went to the Santa Scholarship, Fe conference in 1997. She considers herself a Connie Hart minority in the sense that only two percent of Yellowman, dis cusses restora Americans live in rural areas. "The rural popula tion plans for tion needs to be considered in the preservation Fort Reno in El movement," she said. "You see the same problems Reno, here as in the cities. Money is being invested in Oklahoma, with local architect new construction, and we're facing that same kind Darren Miller. In of encroachment all the time." the background An archivist with Winston-Salem (North is the Field Officers' House. Carolina) State University, Carter Cue attended the 1998 conference in Savannah, and, while he was easily able to recall specific sessions which he thought were beneficial he, half-joking, described what would be his ideal conference. "Everyone who attended would find solutions to their own problems, without moderators, without panels," Cue said. "Instead, we have a series of picnics, and we all get together and we shoot the breeze." "There's an exposure that you get just walking around the conference," said Connie Hart Yellowman. The director of the Fort Reno Visitor every day, and have been doing it for 10 years, Center in El Reno, Oklahoma, she first attended after I went there and saw people who looked like the conference in 1996. "It's what helped to give me me, I came back and it just sort of launched me." a comprehension of my work. I had done a lot of Cottrell is the founder of the Michigan Street law-related things with cultural preservation issues, Preservation Corporation, a group that preserves but after going to the conference I started to expand Underground Railroad historical sites. Since my focus to include structural preservation." catching "the bug" in Fort Worth, his work has Another common problem past recipients led to a state law that requires the history of the run into is common to all preservationists: fund Underground Railroad be taught in every New ing. Yellowman has developed restoration plans York school system, the first such law in the country. for three buildings at Fort Reno. Established as a Lifting Voices military post in 1874, over the years the fort High school teacher Floyd Butler is a former headquartered Indians, white settlers, and the Chicago Bears running back and a former black Buffalo Soldiers. "There has been a move to Emerging Preservation Leader. He works with bring tourists to this location, and to develop an students in Chicago to restore buildings, while interpretation of the place," Yellowman said. "We teaching them about the history and the commu know that we have to have some kind of revenue nities the buildings represent. Butler was inspired generating activity within the buildings, since for after vandals destroyed an old limestone mansion us to restore all of the buildings it's going to cost that he was painstakingly restoring. "My students maybe $12 million." It's easy to see how meeting didn't understand why a black man would want at the conference can be so supportive. For to waste time and money restoring one of those instance, Cottrell is a few steps ahead of broken down buildings," he said. Yellowman in setting up a visitor-friendly historic Minorities in preservation often feel alone in district in Buffalo. "The byproduct today of what their work, and they run into similar ignorance, we do as historians is tourism," Cottrell said. apathy and inertia, whether they live out on the "People want to see what it is that we do. So, as a spacious prairie, in cozy New England, or on the not-for-profit, you have to market yourself. Work hard streets of the inner city. Attending the con with the visitors' bureau, get in the trade shows, ference is a chance to have their voices heard, and do the bus tours, do the whole bit, don't wait for to hear others. "Nobody knows there are black governmental subsidies." people in New Hampshire," Valerie Cunningham
42 CRM No 8—1999 The Conference Itself educators. Now, preservation is something they The conference can be overwhelming for a listen to." first-time attendee. "You feel like a kindergartner Taking a more active role in the conference in a group of high school seniors," Yellowman and other aspects of preservation is something the said. "But at the same time, it's not like you feel National Trust would like to see out of the recipi inferior to other people." To insure this, all ents. Black participants claimed that there wasn't Emerging Preservation Leaders first meet at an much relevant to them at the Chicago conference orientation session with an inspirational speaker. in 1996. But the next year, in Santa Fe, Hispanic Carl Westmoreland and Pittsburgh's Stanley Lowe preservationists made sure to have relevant ses have spoken in the past about heritage, pride and sions on the program. If past winners want to see preserving communities, with a strong emotional that future winners get as much out of the confer response. Last year, W. W. Law of Savannah closed ence as they did, it seems they have to get the session by leading participants in singing a involved: take the initiative and submit session spiritual. proposals. For the first time, at the Savannah confer Off-Shoots ence, Emerging Preservation Leaders were paired In 1995 the Trustees' Committee on with a mentor from their area. Some recipients Cultural Diversity reviewed the National Trust's complained that they never saw theirs, and this is efforts to broaden itself and its work. It strongly one aspect organizers hope to improve in 1999. endorsed the scholarship program and recom Nancy Haney was so impressed by the sessions mended that Trust programs work more exten and the general structure of the conference that sively with minority neighborhoods and con she came back to Nebraska and started her own, stituencies. The Trust then redoubled its efforts in patterned after the National Trust's. About 100 the newly created Community Partners Program, people have come to each of the conferences run which integrates preservation rehab standards and by Panhandle Landmarks, an organization Haney affordable housing in six urban neighborhoods, started in 1997. "When we started, local govern including Atlanta, San Antonio, and Los Angeles. ment officials weren't interested in historic preser It also provides sophisticated real estate services vation," Haney said. "We just didn't have enough for inner city rehab projects, and gap financing local people informed, so we started to promote from an $8 million loan fund. the education of the general public as well as our The National Trust Main Street Center has initiated major services to urban neighborhoods, commencing with a citywide Main Street pro Connie Hart gram in Boston and extending to neighborhoods Yellowman shows a wagon- in Baltimore, Chicago, and San Diego. Main wheel pulley lift Street is also partnering with the Local Initiatives to architect Support Corporation to initiate Main Street pro Darren Miller, in the commissary grams with six Community Development building of Fort Corporations. Reno in El Reno, The Preservation Leadership Training Oklahoma. She plans to turn the Institute is an intensive, week-long course held by two-story, 1886 the National Trust, some call it preservation "boot commissary into camp." As a spin-off from the Emerging a museum. Preservation Leaders Program, in 1997 the PLT was able to defray for the first time some of the travel expenses for minority participants. State and local scholarships to the national conference started for the Fort Worth conference in 1995. Local partnerships funded tuition for 125 Fort Worth neighborhood activists, business leaders, non-profit workers, and youth. The local programs have increased every year, with more than 200 Georgians getting assistance to attend the 1998 conference. Meetings before and after
CRM No 8—1999 43 the conference expand upon the discussions of Trust and its work. "When I first heard about the that one-week in October. National Trust, I just thought it was some rich Grassroots white folks who liked to save buildings," said The Emerging Preservation Leaders are a Valerie Cunningham, who kept an open mind testament to the concept of "grassroots activism," and attended the Boston conference. "It was there showing on the ground level how preservation I discovered a vocabulary for what I was doing. I simply makes sense. For instance, Nancy Haney know what I am. I'm a historic preservationist." likens the preservation movement to environmen- "At the Miami conference," said Peter Brink of talism: "It's really just another recycling issue, you the National Trust. "We white attendees realized know? Why should these buildings end up in we had at least as much to gain from having the landfills?" scholarship attendees with us as they did." When Eugenia Woo attended the Boston This year more than 5,000 applications have conference in 1994, she was a graduate student at been sent out for the scholarship program. The the University of Washington. Now she works for National Preservation Conference will be in the city of Seattle's department of neighborhoods, Washington, DC, from October 19 to 24. The bridging the gap between the practical and the theme is "Saving America's Treasures." historical, specifically in two ethnic, historic Established in 1949, the Trust provides lead neighborhoods. "Having been to several different ership, education, and advocacy to save America's conferences, local, statewide and national, it's diverse historic places and revitalize communities. clear that preservation is still a very white-domi It has six regional offices, 20 museum properties, nated field," Woo said. "To have this (scholarship) and 275,000 members across the country. program, to reach out to certain segments of the population, is really good. People who are work Sierra Neal is Program Associate and Jonathan Sanchez is ing in community or economic development, a Scholarship Assistant at the Southern Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Charleston, lot of times they think preservation would hinder South Carolina. those things, but it doesn't. People think preserva tion is just to keep everything the same but that's Photos courtesy National Trust for Historic not necessarily true." Preservation. If anything, thanks to the program, percep tions have changed in and about the National
Jazz Club at Rossonian Hotel in Denver, Colorado ocated in the Five Points neighborhood in Denver, Colorado, the Rossonian Hotel Lwas constructed in 1912 as the Baxter Hotel. Renamed in 1929 in honor of Mr. A. W L. Ross, who managed the building with a group of African American men, the Rossonian enjoyed the reputation as one of the most important jazz clubs between St. Louis and Los Angeles from the late 1930s to the early 1960s. It hosted jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Nat King Cole, and Dinah Washington at a time when they performed at white-owned Denver hotels, but were denied lodging at the same hotels. When the legal and de facto racial segregation was reduced following
World War II, the need for alternative 7oday> the RossonJan buildjng /s /eased t0 a variety of lodging provided by the Rossonian less- tenants. Photo by Nancy Lyons, Preservation ened. Partnership, Denver.
44 CRM No 8—1999 Moriba N. McDonald Understanding Diversity in the National Park Service—Point of view
anuary 13-16, 1999, marked a mile live in a society where unfortunately race matters stone in the history of the National and discrimination still exists. However, improve Park Service. In cooperation with the ments are possible. National Park Service and other part I have been with the National Park Service ners, Jthe National Parks and Conservation for seven years starting as a co-op student from Association (NPCA) held the conference, Hampton University and was later selected for "America's Parks—America's People: A Mosaic in the NPS Intake Training program. In the two- Motion," at the Golden Gate National and-a-half years as a trainee, I worked with a vari Recreation Area in San Francisco. The conference ety of NPS employees on different projects and theme was the challenges of race and diversity visited many parks. I was struck by the small facing America and the national parks as we number of visitors and employees who are approach the 21st century. The goal of the con minorities. Urban parks are the exception because ference was to develop ways in which the of highly diverse populations surrounding them. National Park Service's parks and programs can In western parks, where there are large numbers become more relevant to all Americans. of American Indians, Latinos, and Hispanics, National census projections estimate that there are few employees representing these America's minorities will soon become America's groups. majority. Given this future reality, the NPCA, Many bureau employees have perceptions under the leadership of Cultural Diversity that discourage broader minority participation in Manager Iantha Gantt-Wright, inaugurated dis national parks. They presume that minorities cussions on diversity and how it will affect the travel infrequently, the cost of park visitation National Park Service in its approach to visitor deters visitors of diverse background, and, most services, park history and interpretation, hiring disturbing, that there are few, if any, qualified and retention of employees, and outreach pro minority candidates available for employment at grams with communities. The discussions culmi the National Park Service. As an agency we have nated in the conference. to rethink these misconceptions. Minorities enjoy I attended the Mosaic in Motion conference traveling as much as anyone else. If they can and was surprised not at how many minorities afford entry to an amusement park at a cost of attended but at the large number of non-minor over 50 dollars, I am quite sure they can afford a ity persons in attendance. The conference atten ten-dollar park entrance fee. dance totaled over 600 participants of all colors In addressing the perception of a lack of and backgrounds. And, it wasn't just a conference qualified minorities for employment, I have to for National Park Service employees. There were say that this is the most hurtful. I have on more representatives from federal, state, and local agen than one occasion heard firsthand these remarks cies; tribal governments and organizations; com that attest to this belief. The most frequent munity groups; colleges and universities; friends' excuse given for why parks, regional offices, and groups; youth organizations; and environmental the support offices don't hire many minorities is groups. they can't find candidates who are capable of This article focuses not just on the confer doing the required workload, whether they are ence but the reasoning, philosophy, and reality of students or permanent employees. I cannot stress diversity and why this conference was needed. how incorrect and insensitive these statements "Diversity" is not and should not be viewed as a are. I agree with Professor Dorceta Taylor from negative word, as another form of "affirmative the University of Michigan, who drew on the his action," or as a backlash against white people. We tory of the National Park Service and the envi-
CRM No 8—1999 45 ronmental movement and urged all parties to the National Park Service. Also, we are helping change their attitudes if we together are to reach organizations with technical assistance on how the goal of inclusion. they can use cultural resources programs and Based on the conference discussions, NPCA tools to protect their cultural heritage. The recently issued a report on issues and potential Initiative sponsored three minority interns this solutions for improving diversity in national summer and will sponsor more next year to parks. The recommendations included: undertake projects related to cultural resources in • The National Park Service, in cooperation NPS administrative offices, partnership organiza with minority organizations, should conduct tions, and national park units. The creation of a national park education campaign through this Initiative is exactly the kind of approach that all forms of media. people have been talking about at the conference. • Community task forces should be established By including communities, organizations, and that would consist of representatives from the schools we can broaden the role of the National NPS and from diverse national, state, and Park Service and make its parks and programs local organizations. more accessible to all people. • The NPS must confront its history and ideo We all are aware of the changing demo logical foundations if it is to become more graphics in this country and around the world. relevant to America's ever-changing popula This agency's mandate is to protect and preserve tion. for future generations, but when the next genera • National park-related organizations, such as tion becomes disinterested, where do we stand? NPCA and the National Park Foundation, The survival of our agency and our mission must also come to the table with NPS and depends on our willingness to be inclusive of dif diverse communities to encourage the neces ferent cultures and their history. The history of sary changes. this country is as diverse as its populations. These recommendations show the impor The Mosaic in Motion conference was tance of establishing strong partnership ties with more successful than expected not just because of community groups, states, local agencies, and sheer number of attendees, but because of the park groups. Why? Simply put, we cannot reach content, debate, and discussion. It helped partici everyone by ourselves; we need and should ask pants realize that diversity is not a passing fad but for help. Many minority groups are eager to work a very real reality. Despite this conference, I con jointly with NPS to establish grassroots coopera tinue to read and hear how an "affirmative action tion. For example, African-American communi plan" for minority employees or visitors is neither ties seek help with researching the Underground desirable nor necessary. I am concerned about Railroad. Hispanic and Latino groups seek assis these statements. I also am aware that the journey tance in restoring their historic neighborhoods. toward inclusion will be difficult, yet not impos Many conference attendees NPS and outside sible. We need more provocative discussions, were surprised at what we as an agency have to training workshops, and more people with open offer from our Washington and regional offices. I informed colleagues about the different cultural minds if we expect to be important players in the resources partnership programs, which can be future. used to enhance the objectives of community The National Park Service should be willing revitalization and preservation. to reach out to diverse groups not because the The cultural resources programs of the park Director directed us to do so, but because we service have a new initiative oriented toward want to. After all, aren't we the protectors of reaching minority schools and organizations, America's history? If we are, then we do ourselves while working closely with NPCA and the a grave injustice as advocates for history and National Park Foundation. October 1, 1998, preservation by ignoring those who helped shape Kate Stevenson along with Pat Tiller and Toni and continue to shape America. Lee established the Cultural Resources Diversity Initiative. Under the guidance of Toni Lee, the Moriba N. McDonald is a historian with the Cultural Resources Diversity Initiative, Heritage Preservation Initiative developed a mailing list of diverse Services, National Park Service. schools and groups who previously had no ties to
AG CRM No 8—1999 Antoinette J. Lee Diversifying the Cultural Resources Profession
hen I visited with a group tural heritage are increasing in number, as are of students enrolled in the minority and diversity committees and councils Historic Preservation within established historic preservation organiza Program at the University tions. Heritage tourism that addresses ethnic and of OregoWn last year, several students expressed minority history has become a very big business. their concern about the demographics of their Even with these important advances, the preservation classes and the professional preserva members of the professions that participate in his tion conferences they attended. The field was toric preservation—historians, archeologists, his doing so much to preserve the historic places toric architects, curators, and others—have associated with minority and ethnic groups, but remained remarkably non-diverse. nearly everyone they met in the field could be Today, when I look back at my 1987 essay, described as European-American. The students "Discovering Old Cultures in the New World: were mystified about why this was the case and The Role of Ethnicity," in The American Mosaic, I wanted to know what could be done about it. note that little has changed in the demographics There are no easy answers to these concerns. of ethnic participation in the preservation profes The experience of ethnic and minority groups in sions.2 In that essay, I described the paucity of the United States is a vast and growing one in the minority professionals in the field and suggested a scholarly and popular literature. While many number of remedies. I recommended that minor groups that are considered "minority" have been ity based schools offer training or career counsel in the United States for centuries, others are rela ing in historic preservation in order to provide an tively new arrivals and are still addressing basic introduction to the field. Colleges and universities living requirements. The well-known professions that offer degree programs should recruit more of law, medicine, and computer science are seen vigorously ethnic and minority students. as major avenues toward the American dream and Preservation organizations should devote more have become more diverse in the past few time to developing preservation programs for ele decades. The academic world of history is increas mentary and secondary students as a way to intro ingly diverse, while diversity is less apparent in duce them to the preservation field. academic departments of anthropology, museum Nearly a year ago, the National Park studies, and architecture.' However, like many Service's cultural resources programs established cultural professions in the world of museums and the Cultural Resources Diversity Initiative to historical societies, historic preservation is a rela address the need to increase the number of tively unknown and seemingly exotic field of minorities in the historic preservation/cultural endeavor. The field does not employ large num resources field at all levels of government, includ bers of people and it is very possible that many ing the National Park Service, and in the private citizens have never met a preservation profes sector. The Diversity Initiative is a long-term cap sional. ital investment effort that seeks to transform the On one side of the coin, the cultural demographics of preservation practitioners. It will resources world has made tremendous strides in build on the progress made in increasing the pro addressing the heritage of diverse cultural groups fession's work on culturally diverse historic places. in the United States. State Historic Preservation Because of the relatively large commitment to Offices are conducting surveys of African education and experience needed in order to work American historic places. Historic rehabilitation in historic preservation, the complexion of the projects are upgrading and increasing the supply field will not change markedly in the near future. of housing in historic buildings in ethnic neigh The challenge is to lay the foundation for signifi- borhoods. Organizations representing diverse cul
CRM No 8—1999 47 cant change in the demographics of the field over late 1970s, I know the importance of internship a decade or two. opportunities in introducing young people to this One of the Diversity Initiative's major pur field of work. poses is to reach out to diverse groups and bring What will constitute success in diversity in them into the national historic preservation pro the historic preservation/cultural resources field? gram through the use of existing NPS cultural That day will arrive when the professionals who resources programs and tools. To this end, we are make the decisions about the nation's cultural working with minority-based universities and heritage reflect the diverse nature and views of organizations to develop training programs for our country. We will know we are successful their constituencies. We are working with others when the diverse young people now in our col to develop curriculum materials for a basic semes leges and universities consider historic preserva ter-long undergraduate course in historic preser tion/cultural resources work as a life-long profes vation/cultural resource stewardship that can be sional endeavor. The historic preservation field used by any college or university. We have estab that many of us knew in the 1970s and 1980s lished a Cultural Resources Diversity Initiative will not be the same. It will be stronger because web site
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