View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by ScholarlyCommons@Penn University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Theses (Historic Preservation) Graduate Program in Historic Preservation January 2005 Interpretation & Design: The Last Residence of African-American Activist Paul Robeson Kelli R. Coles University of Pennsylvania Follow this and additional works at: http://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses Coles, Kelli R., "Interpretation & Design: The Last Residence of African-American Activist Paul Robeson" (2005). Theses (Historic Preservation). 22. http://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/22 Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment for the Requirements of the Degree of Master of Science in Historic Preservation 2005. Advisor: Randall F. Mason This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. http://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/22 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Interpretation & Design: The Last Residence of African-American Activist Paul Robeson Comments Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment for the Requirements of the Degree of Master of Science in Historic Preservation 2005. Advisor: Randall F. Mason This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/22 ȱ INTERPRETATIONȱ&ȱDESIGN:ȱTHEȱLASTȱRESIDENCEȱOFȱ AFRICANȬAMERICANȱACTIVISTȱPAULȱROBESONȱ ȱ KelliȱRacineȱColesȱ ȱ AȱTHESISȱ ȱ inȱ ȱ HistoricȱPreservationȱ ȱ PresentedȱtoȱtheȱFacultiesȱofȱtheȱUniversityȱofȱPennsylvaniaȱinȱ PartialȱFulfillmentȱofȱtheȱRequirementsȱforȱtheȱDegreeȱofȱ ȱ MASTERȱOFȱSCIENCEȱINȱHISTORICȱPRESERVATIONȱ ȱ 2005ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ _________________________________ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ_________________________________ȱ AdvisorȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱReaderȱ RandallȱF.ȱMasonȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱGailȱWinklerȱ AssociateȱProfessorȱofȱArchitectureȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱLecturerȱinȱHistoricȱPreservationȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ _________________________________ȱ ProgramȱChairȱ FrankȱG.ȱMateroȱ AssociateȱProfessorȱofȱArchitectureȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ DEDICATIONȱ ȱ ȱ I’dȱlikeȱtoȱdedicateȱthisȱtoȱmyȱfamilyȱandȱfriends.ȱThankȱyouȱforȱallȱtheȱsupport.ȱȱ Iȱloveȱyouȱall!ȱȱ ȱ Thisȱisȱjustȱtheȱbeginningȱofȱmyȱjourneyȱintoȱlearningȱaboutȱandȱeducatingȱothersȱ onȱtheȱconnectionȱofȱAfricanȬAmericanȱhistoricȱinteriorsȱtoȱhistory.ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ii ȱ ȱ ȱ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTȱ ToȱRandyȱMasonȬȱThankȱyouȱforȱbeingȱanȱ“advisor”ȱandȱallȱthatȱitȱentails,ȱallȱtheȱ hoursȱspentȱreadingȱdraftȱafterȱdraftȱandȱtheȱconstructiveȱcriticismȱwhenȱtheȱ writingȱwasȱjustȱnotȱquiteȱright.ȱȱ ȱ ToȱGailȱWinklerȬȱIȱamȱespeciallyȱgratefulȱforȱyouȱmeticulouslyȱeditingȱmyȱ writingȱ(especiallyȱmyȱgrammar!)ȱIȱreallyȱneededȱyourȱeyes.ȱThankȱyouȱforȱallȱ yourȱsuggestionsȱandȱassistance,ȱnotȱjustȱinȱwritingȱmyȱthesis,ȱbutȱinȱtheȱcareerȱ opportunitiesȱIȱhaveȱwithȱmyȱparticularȱinterests.ȱIȱknewȱthereȱwasȱaȱreasonȱwhyȱ IȱcameȱtoȱUniversityȱofȱPennsylvaniaȱalthoughȱitȱwasȱunclearȱtoȱmeȱatȱfirst,ȱIȱamȱ soȱgladȱtoȱhaveȱmadeȱyourȱacquaintance.ȱ ȱ ToȱMs.ȱFrancesȱAulston,ȱProfessorȱCharlesȱBlockson,ȱMarkȱUeland,ȱEmanualȱ Kelly,ȱParkȱRangerȱLeoȱBlake,ȱandȱParkȱRangerȱJoanneȱSchillizziȬȱThankȱyouȱallȱ forȱgrantingȱmeȱanȱopportunityȱtoȱspeakȱwithȱyou.ȱIȱhopeȱthisȱisȱwillȱbeȱofȱsomeȱ assistanceȱtoȱtheȱfutureȱdecisionȬmakingȱprocessȱofȱtheȱPaulȱRobesonȱHouse.ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ iii ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ TABLEȱOFȱCONTENTSȱ List of Figures…..v Introduction…..1 Chapter One: The Man…..5 Chapter Two: The Historic House Museum…..10 Chapter Three: The Rehabilitation Plan for the Paul Robeson House…..17 Chapter Four: Interpreting Paul Robeson in the House Museum…..25 Chapter Five: Developing a Conservation Plan…..39 Figures…..46 Bibliography…..65 Index…..69ȱ ȱ iv LISTȱOFȱFIGURESȱ ȱ 1.ȱ PosingȱasȱtheȱcharacterȱJimȱHarrisȱinȱtheȱEugeneȱO’NeilȱplayȱAllȱGod’sȱ ChillunȱGotȱWings,ȱCircaȱ1926.ȱȱ ȱ ȱ 2.ȱRobesonȱasȱaȱmemberȱofȱtheȱ1916ȱRutgersȱCollegeȱbasketballȱteam.ȱȱ ȱ ȱ 3.ȱ RobesonȱasȱaȱmemberȱofȱtheȱCapȱandȱSkullȱHonorȱSocietyȱatȱRutgersȱ College,ȱ1919.ȱ ȱ ȱ 4.ȱ PaulȱandȱEssieȱembarkingȱforȱNewȱYorkȱfromȱEnglandȱinȱ1933ȱforȱtheȱ filmingȱofȱTheȱEmperorȱJones.ȱ ȱ ȱ 5.ȱ EnglishȱflyerȱadvertisingȱPaul’sȱrecordings.ȱCircaȱ1930’s.ȱȱ ȱ ȱ 6.ȱ PaulȱwithȱJohnȱOliverȱGoldenȱandȱhisȱdaughter,ȱLillie,ȱinȱKislovodsk,ȱ USSR,ȱJulyȱ1937.ȱ ȱ ȱ 7.ȱ PaulȱjoinsȱtwoȱAfricanȬAmericanȱmembersȱofȱtheȱAbrahamȱLincolnȱ Battalion,ȱInternationalȱBrigadeȱforȱtheȱSpanishȱRevolutionaryȱArmy.ȱ ȱ ȱ 8.ȱ PaulȱandȱEssieȱwithȱIndianȱstudentsȱinȱLondon,ȱ1936.ȱ ȱ ȱ 9.ȱ PaulȱandȱPaul,ȱJr.ȱatȱaȱVOKSȱ(AllȱUnionȱSocietyȱforȱCulturalȱExchange)ȱ receptionȱinȱMoscow,ȱMayȱ1937.ȱ ȱ ȱ 10.ȱTheȱPaulȱRobesonȱHouseȱandȱWestȱPhiladelphiaȱCulturalȱAllianceȱOffice.ȱ ȱ ȱ v 11.ȱExistingȱNorthȱandȱSouthȱElevationsȱofȱtheȱPaulȱRobesonȱHouseȱandȱ WPCAȱOffice.ȱ ȱ ȱ 12.ȱExistingȱEastȱandȱWestȱElevationsȱofȱtheȱPaulȱRobesonȱHouseȱandȱWPCAȱ Office.ȱ ȱ ȱ 13.ȱ“FromȱTheseȱRoots”ȱexhibitȱpanels,ȱfirstȱfloorȱofȱtheȱPaulȱRobesonȱHouse.ȱ ȱ ȱ 14.ȱAnotherȱviewȱofȱtheȱfirstȱfloorȱlookingȱbackȱtowardsȱentrance.ȱ ȱ ȱ 15.ȱ–ȱ17.ȱRobeson’sȱBedroomȱ ȱ ȱ 18.ȱMiddleȱroom/exhibitȱspaceȱonȱtheȱsecondȱfloorȱofȱtheȱPaulȱRobesonȱ House.ȱ ȱ ȱ 19.ȱFrontȱroom/WPCAȱmeetingȱspaceȱonȱtheȱsecondȱfloorȱofȱtheȱPaulȱRobesonȱ House.ȱ ȱ ȱ 20.ȱProposedȱExhibitȱDesignȱPlansȱ ȱ ȱ 21.ȱPerspectiveȱDrawingȱofȱtheȱproposedȱEntranceȱGalleryȱofȱtheȱCulturalȱ Center.ȱ ȱ ȱ 22.ȱProposedȱPlansȱforȱtheȱBasementȱandȱFirstȱFloorȱofȱtheȱPaulȱRobesonȱ HouseȱandȱCulturalȱCenter.ȱ ȱ ȱ 23.ȱProposedȱPlansȱforȱtheȱSecondȱandȱThirdȱFloorsȱofȱtheȱPaulȱRobesonȱ HouseȱandȱCulturalȱCenter.ȱ ȱ ȱ vi 24.ȱPaulȱRobesonȱsittingȱinȱtheȱlivingȱroomȱofȱtheȱHouse.ȱ ȱ ȱ 25.ȱTheȱBurraȱCharterȱProcess:ȱSequenceȱofȱInvestigations,ȱDecisionsȱ&ȱ Actions. vii Introductionȱ ȱ TheȱinterpretationȱofȱanȱAfricanȬAmericanȱculturalȱsiteȱrequiresȱsensitivityȱ toȱbothȱtheȱsubjectȱandȱtheȱvisitorsȱwhenȱtellingȱtheȱstoryȱofȱanȱoftenȱtumultuousȱ journeyȱthroughȱpain,ȱtribulation,ȱandȱfinallyȱonȱsomeȱoccasions,ȱvictory.ȱTheȱ PaulȱRobesonȱHouseȱinȱtheȱWalnutȱHillȱsectionȱofȱPhiladelphia,ȱseeksȱtoȱtellȱtheȱ storyȱofȱthisȱRenaissanceȱman,ȱwhileȱinspiringȱadultsȱandȱchildrenȱthroughȱ interpretation.ȱTheȱculturalȱsignificanceȱofȱtheȱPaulȱRobesonȱHouseȱisȱwhatȱ makesȱitȱsuchȱaȱpowerfulȱsiteȱforȱAfricanȬAmericansȱandȱallȱpeopleȱwhoȱholdȱtheȱ rightȱforȱfreedomȱandȱequalityȱasȱdearȱtoȱtheirȱheartsȱasȱtheyȱdoȱtheirȱownȱ freedom.ȱȱTheȱpurposeȱofȱthisȱstudyȱisȱtoȱgiveȱsuggestionsȱsoȱthatȱallȱtheȱ possibilitiesȱofȱinterpretationȱofȱPaulȱRobesonȱandȱtheȱRobesonȬForsytheȱHouseȱ canȱbeȱfullyȱexhaustedȱandȱanȱevocativeȱinterpretiveȱplanȱbeȱdeveloped.ȱȱ ȱ TheȱattemptȱtoȱcomprehensivelyȱstudyȱandȱinterpretȱAfricanȬAmericanȱ historyȱisȱaȱrecentȱdevelopmentȱinȱtheȱfieldȱofȱpreservation.ȱWithȱnewȱ scholarship,ȱhistorians,ȱteachers,ȱandȱmembersȱofȱgrassrootsȱorganizations,ȱareȱ bringingȱtoȱtheȱlightȱtheȱmyriadȱofȱwaysȱAfricanȬAmericanȱhistoryȱisȱanȱintrinsicȱ partȱofȱgeneralȱAmericanȱhistory.ȱȱTodayȱatȱhistoricȱsitesȱaroundȱtheȱcountry,ȱ interpretation,ȱdefinedȱasȱ“…theȱtranslationȱofȱtheȱtechnicalȱorȱunfamiliarȱ languageȱofȱtheȱenvironmentȱintoȱlayȱlanguage,ȱwithȱnoȱlossȱinȱaccuracy,ȱinȱorderȱ 1 toȱcreateȱandȱenhanceȱsensitivity,ȱawareness,ȱunderstanding,ȱappreciation,ȱandȱ commitment…”ȱ1ȱisȱtheȱwayȱbyȱwhichȱthisȱhistoryȱisȱbeingȱtold.ȱȱInterpretationȱisȱ atȱtheȱcenterȱofȱaȱsiteȱmanagementȱplanȱatȱanȱhistoricȱsite,ȱdeterminingȱtheȱ outcomeȱofȱmanyȱaspectsȱofȱaȱplan,ȱincludingȱtheȱinteriorȱandȱexhibitȱdesigns.ȱ InterpretationȱworksȱhandȬinȬhandȱwithȱdesignȱinȱhistoricȱplacesȱtoȱachieveȱtheȱ goalȱofȱmakingȱhistoryȱthoughtȱprovokingȱandȱofȱvalueȱforȱtheȱstakeholdersȱofȱ theȱsite.ȱȱ ȱ ThisȱthesisȱwillȱanalyzeȱtheȱAprilȱ2004ȱproposedȱrestorationȱandȱ interpretiveȱplansȱforȱtheȱPaulȱRobesonȱHouse,ȱcomparingȱthemȱtoȱthreeȱotherȱ historicȱhouseȱmuseumsȱforȱfurtherȱinsightȱintoȱtheȱinterpretiveȱplans.ȱ2ȱ FollowingȱTilden’sȱsuggestions,ȱthisȱthesisȱwillȱanalyzeȱhowȱsuccessfullyȱtheȱ plansȱȱ“…revealȱmeaningsȱandȱrelationshipsȱthroughȱtheȱuseȱofȱoriginalȱobjects,ȱ byȱfirsthandȱexperience,ȱandȱbyȱillustrativeȱmedia,ȱratherȱthanȱsimplyȱtoȱ communicateȱfactualȱinformation.”ȱ3ȱȱȱ ȱ 1 Paul H. Risk, “Interpretation: A Road to Creative Enlightenment,” Cultural Resource Management, Volume 17, No.2 (date unknown), 37-40. 2 This thesis is a continuation of a paper by a fellow student at the University of Pennsylvania on the current exhibition panels and tour at the Paul Robeson House. In this report, the exhibition panels and tour were found to be, “informative…not interpretive” and also “inflexible and generic.” For these reasons, this thesis is looking at the proposed rehabilitation and interpretive plans of the site. (Han Li, Interpretation of the Paul Robeson House Museum, HSPV 606- Historic Site Management, Spring 2004, Professor Randall Mason, Personal Communication, 6 May 2004, 6.) 3 Freeman Tilden, Interpreting Our Heritage, Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1977, 8. 2 Theȱthreeȱotherȱsitesȱusedȱforȱcomparisonȱinȱthisȱstudyȱwereȱchosenȱ becauseȱofȱtheirȱdistinctiveȱinterpretiveȱplans.ȱTheȱEdgarȱAllenȱPoeȱHouseȱinȱ Philadelphia,ȱownedȱbyȱtheȱNationalȱParkȱService,ȱhasȱanȱinterpretiveȱplanȱ unlikeȱmanyȱotherȱhistoricȱhouseȱmuseumsȱdueȱtoȱourȱlackȱofȱknowledgeȱonȱhowȱ EdgarȱandȱSarahȱAllenȱPoeȱlivedȱinȱtheȱ18thȱcentury.ȱTheȱsecondȱsite,ȱTheȱDr.ȱ MartinȱLutherȱKingȱHouseȱinȱAtlanta,ȱGeorgia,ȱhasȱaȱhistoricȱfurnishingsȱplanȱ includedȱinȱitsȱinterpretiveȱplan,ȱandȱcontainsȱmanyȱartifactsȱpresentȱinȱtheȱhouseȱ
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