National Trust for Historic Preservation Annual Conference

From left to right in photo, Diversity Scholarship recipient Patricia Peters , Angela Glover Blackwell
and National Trust Illinois Advisor Paula Robinson, pause for this photo on the corner of 4th Street
& Broadway in Louisville Kentucky, after attending the exciting Closing Plenary Session at the
National Trust for Historic Preservation Annual Conference on Saturday, October 2, 2004.

Angela Glover Blackwell is founder and president of PolicyLink, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing a new generation of policies that achieve social and economic equity.

Read PolicyLink - President's Column -- The Leadership Challenge.

Ms Blackwell was one of two dynamic keynote speakers at the Closing Plenary who inspired preservationist in attendance with their progressive views and opinions. The Mayor of Charleston, SC, Joseph Riley Jr. was the other keynote speaker.

Photo credit: http://www.bronzevilleonline.com/

Click here to learn about the Beloit Historic Preservation Intiative

What's new in Bronzeville

November 15, 2004

Young students at Anthony Overton Grammar school are naturally drawn to the technology if the infromation is revalent to them


At the Principal for a Day program on Thursday, October 28th, 2004, the next generation of bright faced, intelligent first grade students, gather in the library at Anthony Overton grammar school. All are dressed appropriately in their nice clean uniforms.


Community activist/organizers Fred Smith and John DeVaugh receive free computer training lessons from Beverly Cooley at the www.bronzevilleonline.com Community Technology Center



Anthony Daniels right in photo and staff of the DuSable Leadership Academy were active participants in the Renaissance 2010: New Schools Expo- Celebrating 10 years of Public School Creation on Saturday, November 6th, 2004 at the Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville.


Bronzeville community leader Mel Monroe, dialogues with Barbara Eason-Watkins, Ed.D. Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Public Schools during the Renaissance 2010 New Schools Expo:



Far left in photo, James Deanes, Officer Schools and Community Relations for Chicago Public Schools, answers some hard questions in a worhshop, from civic minded new school creators, who are seriously thinking about submitting proposals for new "Renaissance 2010" schools in Bronzeville.



Gerri Oliver former proprietor of the shuttered Palm Tavern and John DeVaugh senior citizen organizer, receive personalized free computer training lessons from Beverly Cooley technology trainer at the Bronzevilleonline.com Community Technology Center, on Saturday November 13th, 2004 from 12 noon until 2 PM. For more information on computer training classes call 773-548-2579



Later that same Saturday afternoon around 4 pm, Gerri Oliver was served a scrumpous buffet by Attorney Joyce Washington and Roland Martin, Executive Editor of the Chicago Defender during his 36th Birthday celebration, which was held at Ce Cibone restaurant located in the Hyde Park community.


On Monday November 15, 2004, volunteer members of the Bronzeville 35th Street Civic History Awareness Committee meet at the Bronzeville Community Club House, a nicely appointed hospitality meeting space centrally located in the heart of Bronzeville at 3847 South Giles Avenue. www.bcchouse.com. From left to right in photo are: Bronzeville artist and business leader Pearlie Taylor, Easter Barnett, Bronzeville Mercaants Association, Prof. Timuel D. Black, Bronzeville historian, Paula Robinson, managing director of the Bronzeville Community Development Partnership and Nathan Thompson, Publisher/The Bronzeville Press.

Proactive comments from a student visitor to the Bronzevilleonline.com Community Technology Center.

Dear Harold,

Thanks for inviting me over on Saturday. It was great to meet you and Gerri and hear firsthand what you’re trying to do with the Convention and Tourism Council. Just to speak a little more to the
concerns you raised in your email and in person, the Civic Knowledge Project (including my work)
is meant to be truly collaborative and to benefit the community. I hope we keep talking about how that can happen. My work as a researcher for the Project will not allow me to be an intern, but it is my understanding that Liz has offered to hire a research and teaching assistant specifically for your work. She should follow up with you on that soon.

Having said that, I want to make sure that the work I do in and about the community is mutually beneficial. I’m currently a student in the Divinity School preparing for ministry in the Lutheran Church.
I finished my bachelor’s degree here, too, and I’ve spent the last two years working in schools and neighborhoods all over the city. I have a lot to learn, but I’m here to be useful.

It is not my interest or the purpose of the Civic Knowledge Project to study the community for the
sake of the University’s self-interest. I’m starting to realize how much of that has been done by the University over the years. Our purpose is different. We don’t want to treat Bronzeville as a case study but rather to highlight its remarkable cultural legacy. We want to understand better how knowledge
and ideas circulated within the community and between the community and the University. There’s a lot of ugly history that has gotten in the way of this, especially after the days of Cayton and Drake,
but we hope we can contribute to a new relationship between the University and the neighborhoods. The point of the proposed Online Southside Civic Knowledge Library—which will house the Palm
Tavern history—is to create a joint University-community resource that can be used by everyone. It is our hope that the BMCTC will join us as a partner for the project. The quid pro quo you mention could include an enhanced understanding of the history between the University and the community, to
better representation on grant proposals, to more funding for community technology to access this information.

I’ll send you the Civic Knowledge Project description so that you can see what else we’re doing. I’m also including my resume below. I’m grateful for the work of the community activists you mention,
and I hope we can be helpful to you. It was also a real privilege to meet Gerri and I hope to speak with her at greater length soon.

Thanks again,

Ben

P.S. For my own interest--do you know of any groups organizing against the casino plans?