City Has Role In Boosting Black History Museum

[ricco67]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/e...outlook/2795867

Sept. 14, 2004, 9:50PM

City has role in boosting black history museum

A history of public support for cultural institutions

By MAYOR BILL WHITE

Houston has used public lands and funds to support the physical facilities of almost all of our major artistic and cultural organizations, as well as many of the smaller arts and cultural institutions which enrich the lives of Houstonians.

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Our major art and cultural organizations have been and should be principally funded by private donations. This allows us to reserve public funds for basic services such as police, fire and EMS protection. Principal reliance on private funding also helps set priorities among competing projects which would be good for the overall community. It allows us to stretch the impact of tax dollars and ensure a sound foundation of community support for the project.

The city historically has assisted arts and cultural organizations. That typically has been in the nature of providing land or facilities, such as the Museum of Natural Science, the Wortham Theatre and the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Some support also comes for large and small arts and cultural organizations from the hotel occupancy tax. We do this because museums and cultural entertainment help draw tourism and new businesses to our community.

My administration is making clear to institutions seeking city assistance that they must have uniform criteria; they need a sound business plan; and they must secure private funding substantially in excess of the value of any city assistance in obtaining a suitable site.

Groups of citizens have organized to advocate the creation of an African-American Museum and a Veterans Museum. I support these initiatives. Each would help citizens of all backgrounds understand sacrifices made by many who came before us in creating and protecting our city. My administration is committed to assisting both find a suitable site, with any city expense entirely dependent upon the level of financial commitment by private donors and any other public entities. They also must have a business plan based on secured and dedicated funding and must be modeled after similar successful museums in other cities.

Councilmember Mark Goldberg wrote ("Houston doesn't belong in museum-building business," Outlook, Sept. 14) that I had decided to continue with this project, despite admitting that there is still no business plan and still questionable financial support. I do support an African-American museum, as has been created in Detroit, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Dallas and many other cities. But I absolutely do not and have not supported such a museum without strong and reliable commitments for private funding and without a professional, solid business plan. In fact, organizers of the project, including Chairman Gerald Smith and the Rev. Bill Lawson, agreed that these elements must be in place. I support language making clear that funding should meet the same criteria set forth for other institutions of this nature, including a restriction of public funding to assistance in locating a site. We will give assistance as to the site location through the use of surplus city property. And, even after these conditions are met, not a cent or anything of value will be done in public support of this project without a City Council vote.

But I ask my fellow Houstonians not to let this issue become divisive. It is true that the Museum of African-American History may face challenges in obtaining private funding. I ask Houstonians from all backgrounds to help.

African-Americans helped build this city. These stories are largely untold. The ancestors of many African-Americans shared a unique and disturbing experience

[MidtownCoog]

For those of you snoozing yesterday:

Houston doesn't belong in museum-building business

By COUNCILMEMBER MARK GOLDBERG

www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssis...ok/2794162

Twenty years ago, city of Houston officials tried to fund a cultural museum showcasing the diversity of people who make up our local community. It was to be a celebration of the different races, cultures and classes of people responsible for making this city great.

City Council is now being asked to vote on a project that will do just the opposite. Instead of being inclusive, it will, by its very name and purpose, serve to exclude all races and cultures except one. The proposed museum will send a message to all Houstonians that the history of every other race and culture is not significant enough to warrant inclusion in this obviously exclusive exhibit building. ADVERTISEMENT

The original proposal by former Mayor Lee P. Brown was a poorly conceived last-minute plan to hand over $2 million cash to an undisclosed group to create an African-American Museum. The proposal had no business plan and so many legal problems and such lack of support that his own administration advised Brown not to proceed with the project. Now, the administration of Mayor Bill White has embraced the project and decided to continue with this project, despite admitting that there is still no business plan and still questionable financial support.

This sets one of the worst precedents ever set by any administration. Imagine funding a project with only the hope that some undefined conditions will be met at sometime in the future.

Fortunately, the White administration has not resorted to building Houston roads without a design or a funding source, which is exactly how the museum issue is being handled.

There have been attempts to get the local community committed enough to this project to offer financial support. Still, very little has been forthcoming. There is a lesson to be learned here: Don't force projects on Houstonians that they are not willing to support financially.

We don't have to look any further than our city limits to see the reminders. Remember El Mercado del Sol? During the Whitmire administration, the city pumped millions of taxpayer dollars into that project, which eventually failed. During the Brown administration, the city pumped more than a million dollars into purchasing the Houston Armory for the Hispanic Forum, which has not honored its legal obligations and is currently in dire financial straits.

As some passionate proponents have charged, the African-American community deserves taxpayer dollars because of the lack of recognition for the past. This reasoning ignores the fact that the city has allocated millions of dollars for an African-American theater, an African-American library, Project Row House and other smaller projects.

Part of the problem in cramming a project down the throats of the public with little or no private-sector interest, is that sooner or later the government is on the hook for future funding.

It doesn't end with completion of the building. Without private support, who will pay for the year-to-year maintenance?

Why not look to museums that have been successful without government financial support? About a decade ago, 250 local Holocaust survivors inspired the community to financially support and build a Holocaust Museum in Houston. The visionaries of this privately built and funded museum never came to the city demanding millions of dollars for their project. Today, this successful project teaches and promotes tolerance, and fights bias and prejudice by using the tragic story of a group of people who were killed, tortured and lost all property, simply because of their religion and culture. Today, this museum is so well supported by the community that it doesn't even need to charge an admission fee for its visitors.

What lessons can the city learn from the aforementioned successes and failures? Perhaps that government cannot simply will a project into being successful. Perhaps we can learn that supporting one cultural project to the exclusion of all others can have detrimental results.

Regardless of what the reader takes away from this writing, I think most would agree that funding a museum embracing all cultures is the better approach. If this mayor is truly the mayor for all people, why not create a museum for all cultures? Why not create a cultural museum that would showcase the diversity of all people who helped build the cultural melting pot that is Houston?

It is no secret that I made an amendment to help fund an Asian Cultural Center that already has a business plan, community support and money in the bank. I truly feel that if the White administration chooses to take a different direction with public funds and get into the museum business, then we should not exclude other cultures. We will then have the obligation to use public funds to promote this project as well as others. Why not use public funds to promote our Asian community? And, as projects like the Asia House come to fruition, we should treat them with the same financial respect.

Goldberg, in his third term representing Houston City Council District C, also serves as vice mayor pro-tem.

[MidtownCoog]

I am with Goldberg on this one.

[Subdude]

I don't understand why he considers the museum business to be so offensive. The city certainly got into the stadium business in a big way.

[houstonmacbro]

For those of you snoozing yesterday:

Houston doesn't belong in museum-building business

By COUNCILMEMBER MARK GOLDBERG

www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssis...ok/2794162

Twenty years ago, city of Houston officials tried to fund a cultural museum showcasing the diversity of people who make up our local community. It was to be a celebration of the different races, cultures and classes of people responsible for making this city great.

City Council is now being asked to vote on a project that will do just the opposite. Instead of being inclusive, it will, by its very name and purpose, serve to exclude all races and cultures except one. The proposed museum will send a message to all Houstonians that the history of every other race and culture is not significant enough to warrant inclusion in this obviously exclusive exhibit building. ADVERTISEMENT

The original proposal by former Mayor Lee P. Brown was a poorly conceived last-minute plan to hand over $2 million cash to an undisclosed group to create an African-American Museum. The proposal had no business plan and so many legal problems and such lack of support that his own administration advised Brown not to proceed with the project. Now, the administration of Mayor Bill White has embraced the project and decided to continue with this project, despite admitting that there is still no business plan and still questionable financial support.

This sets one of the worst precedents ever set by any administration. Imagine funding a project with only the hope that some undefined conditions will be met at sometime in the future.

Fortunately, the White administration has not resorted to building Houston roads without a design or a funding source, which is exactly how the museum issue is being handled.

There have been attempts to get the local community committed enough to this project to offer financial support. Still, very little has been forthcoming. There is a lesson to be learned here: Don't force projects on Houstonians that they are not willing to support financially.

We don't have to look any further than our city limits to see the reminders. Remember El Mercado del Sol? During the Whitmire administration, the city pumped millions of taxpayer dollars into that project, which eventually failed. During the Brown administration, the city pumped more than a million dollars into purchasing the Houston Armory for the Hispanic Forum, which has not honored its legal obligations and is currently in dire financial straits.

As some passionate proponents have charged, the African-American community deserves taxpayer dollars because of the lack of recognition for the past. This reasoning ignores the fact that the city has allocated millions of dollars for an African-American theater, an African-American library, Project Row House and other smaller projects.

Part of the problem in cramming a project down the throats of the public with little or no private-sector interest, is that sooner or later the government is on the hook for future funding.

It doesn't end with completion of the building. Without private support, who will pay for the year-to-year maintenance?

Why not look to museums that have been successful without government financial support? About a decade ago, 250 local Holocaust survivors inspired the community to financially support and build a Holocaust Museum in Houston. The visionaries of this privately built and funded museum never came to the city demanding millions of dollars for their project. Today, this successful project teaches and promotes tolerance, and fights bias and prejudice by using the tragic story of a group of people who were killed, tortured and lost all property, simply because of their religion and culture. Today, this museum is so well supported by the community that it doesn't even need to charge an admission fee for its visitors.

What lessons can the city learn from the aforementioned successes and failures? Perhaps that government cannot simply will a project into being successful. Perhaps we can learn that supporting one cultural project to the exclusion of all others can have detrimental results.

Regardless of what the reader takes away from this writing, I think most would agree that funding a museum embracing all cultures is the better approach. If this mayor is truly the mayor for all people, why not create a museum for all cultures? Why not create a cultural museum that would showcase the diversity of all people who helped build the cultural melting pot that is Houston?

It is no secret that I made an amendment to help fund an Asian Cultural Center that already has a business plan, community support and money in the bank. I truly feel that if the White administration chooses to take a different direction with public funds and get into the museum business, then we should not exclude other cultures. We will then have the obligation to use public funds to promote this project as well as others. Why not use public funds to promote our Asian community? And, as projects like the Asia House come to fruition, we should treat them with the same financial respect.

Goldberg, in his third term representing Houston City Council District C, also serves as vice mayor pro-tem.

this is weird. is the holocaust museum 'exclusionary' of others? no, it helps others better understand the horrors of nazi germany. it helps to celebrate the victory of jews over their oppressors.

why is it that when it has anything to do with blacks it is suddenly offensive?

[nmainguy]

I say destroy the Holocaust Museum. Cancel the Asian Cultural Center. Stop all recognition of anything remotely educational and diverse. Instead, appropriate all available tax dollars to a new soccer stadium. Sports team owners and adult men playing ball games have been neglected for far too long! I commend Councilman Golderg's political handlers for his bold leap into deflecting the real issues of how tax dollars are spent! All hail the Astros/Texans/Rockets/un-named-as-yet-MLS team taxpayer backed stadiums!

OK...seriously folks. If you want to spend my tax $$ wisely-IMUO-pay our teachers, nurses and police fire men and women what they are really worth. Let the uber-wealthy sport team owners pay for their own money making stadiums from ticket sales, promotional and mass-media advertising income and let those open hearted philanthripists-and there are many of them-build their own museums with corporate funded operating trusts.

My 2 cents and Mr. Sarcasm...out

[The Great Hizzy!]

You mean you were being sarcastic? I couldn' t tell.

[smartalek]

The Gay and Lesbian archives and collections of this community are in storage becasue of lack of funding. If the city is going to think of funding one groups efforts to tell their history then it needs to be across the board.

[houstonmacbro]

The Gay and Lesbian archives and collections of this community are in storage becasue of lack of funding. If the city is going to think of funding one groups efforts to tell their history then it needs to be across the board.

so you are equating black history to lesbian and gay history? i am not sure the two equate.

[mike1]

The Gay and Lesbian archives and collections of this community are in storage becasue of lack of funding. If the city is going to think of funding one groups efforts to tell their history then it needs to be across the board.

Agreed, but where does it all end? The city really opens up a can of worms when it elects to support one group's efforts to the exclusion of someone else's. No matter how many groups they take under their umbrella, there's always going to be someone else who feels excluded.

so you are equating black history to lesbian and gay history? i am not sure the two equate.

Example #1 of where this inevitably goes.

[nmainguy]

so you are equating black history to lesbian and gay history? i am not sure the two equate.

It can be equated but I won't attempt to go into that here.

As a gay man, I know many gay men and women with assets far exceeding the $1,000,000 mark. If they chose to band together to build a museum honoring gays, they would. So far they haven't.

Neither have blacks.

As I've stated before, the city has no buisness in the museum building buisness.

Besides, don't we already spend too much subsidizing billionaire sports team owners?

[mike1]

It can be equated but I won't attempt to go into that here.

As a gay man, I know many gay men and women with assets far exceeding the $1,000,000 mark. If they chose to band together to build a museum honoring gays, they would. So far they haven't.

Neither have blacks.

As I've stated before, the city has no buisness in the museum building buisness.

Besides, don't we already spend too much subsidizing billionaire sports team owners?

AMEN!!!

[smartalek]

It can be equated but I won't attempt to go into that here.

As a gay man, I know many gay men and women with assets far exceeding the $1,000,000 mark. If they chose to band together to build a museum honoring gays, they would. So far they haven't.

Neither have blacks.

As I've stated before, the city has no buisness in the museum building buisness.

Besides, don't we already spend too much subsidizing billionaire sports team owners?

Thanks you hit the nail square on the head. I have recently had visions of the YWCA on Waugh and Buffalo Bayou as a suitable museum-Cultural center for our community.

[houstonmacbro]

Thanks you hit the nail square on the head. I have recently had visions of the YWCA on Waugh and Buffalo Bayou as a suitable museum-Cultural center for our community.

and by 'our' you mean?

[westguy]

The psychic community.

[houstonmacbro]

The psychic community.

oh, u got joked now, huh?