HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-01-19 - Minutes -CITY OF
FAYETTEVILLE
ARKANSAS
MEETING MINUTES
Meeting of the Black Heritage Preservation Commission
January 19, 2023 6:30 PM
RM 111 City Hall & Zoom
NOTE: The January 19, 2023 Black Heritage Preservation Commission meeting was held
virtually and in person, with commissioners attending remotely or in person. Staff were
present in person.
Members: Council Member D'Andre Jones, Chair J.L. Jennings, Vice Chair Lois Bryant, Kaleb
Turner, and Shawn Walker
City Staff: Britin Bostick - Long Range Planning & Special Projects Manager
Call to Order: 6:32pm by Chair Jennings
In Attendance: Council Member D'Andre Jones, Chair J.L. Jennings, Vice Chair Lois Bryant,
Kaleb Turner, Shawn Walker, Wendell Huggins, and Britin Bostick
Approval of Minutes from the November Meeting: Bostick explained that although the
November meeting was not called to order, as the meeting was posted she had made a
record of the meeting that could be included in the minutes archive for transparency. Motion to
accept as submitted by Commissioner Turner, Second by Vice Chair Bryant. Motion approved
(5-0-0).
Official Recognition of Fayetteville Trailblazers: Council Member Jones commented on the
success of the National Day of Racial Healing event held at City Council Chambers the
previous day and noted the video was available on the City's YouTube channel.
Jones would also like to recognize Fayetteville's Trailblazing African American officials who
have served in an individual capacity at a February City Council meeting. This would be an
official acknowledgement of firsts — police chief, elected official, superintendent of public
schools, fire chief. Perhaps incorporate members of the 1954 FHS class — the first to graduate
from the integrated high school. Council Member Jones would like for Mayor Jordan to
recognize these individuals at a Council meeting. Chair Jennings agreed that recognition
would fall in line with the comments from the Day of Racial Healing event the previous day.
Jennings noted that if there would be a recognition for Black History Month there would also
be an opportunity at Juneteenth to recognize families. Vice Chair Bryant asked if this
recognition at Council would be for people throughout the city. Council Member Jones
confirmed it would be. Vice Chair Bryant noted that her mother, Jessie Bryant, the first African
American person in Fayetteville to be elected to office, also started a healthcare organization.
Additionally, her family opened their doors to Silas Herbert Hunt, a veteran of World War 11,
who sought admission to the University of Arkansas School of Law on Feb. 2, 1948, becoming
the first African American student to enroll in a white Southern university since the
Reconstruction era. She is also the mother of the first African American State Trooper killed in
the line of duty.
Mailing Address:
113 W. Mountain Street www.fayetteville-ar.gov
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Commissioner Turner offered to put together bios of the people being recognized and noted
the possibility of sharing the information on social media. Vice Chair Bryant mentioned
recognizing another possible family who opened their doors to the first Black students at the U
of A. Commissioner Walker noted that she had heard numerous times that the same people
keep being recognized, so maybe there is an opportunity to branch out? Could this also be an
annual or semi-annual recognition to include more people? Jones stated the reason behind
this initial set of choices is acknowledging firsts and those who served in an official capacity.
Vice Chair Bryant said she had heard similar concerns as Commissioner Walker but had not
yet put together an exhaustive list of community members who should be recognized. Huggins
recalled the students (class of 1954) being recognized by the school board and perhaps by
the city last year. Council Member Jones expected the City Council recognition to be brief at
the start of the meeting. The Commissioners concurred with recognizing the first police chief,
elected official, superintendent of public schools, and fire chief for this time, and discussed
with staff the Council schedule and making the request for this item on the Feb 21 City
Council meeting to give time to contact individuals and organize the recognition. Chair
Jennings accepted Commissioner Turner's offer to compile names and information.
Nelson Hackett Marker Update: Bostick stated that the grant check was received, and the
marker has been ordered and is expected to arrive in late February. She will bring it to the first
meeting following receipt of the marker for the Commissioners to see and discuss when they
would like to install the marker, which can be installed relatively quickly unless the
Commissioners would like to install it closer to Juneteenth. Chair Jennings suggested waiting
until Juneteenth for the marker installation. Council Member Jones recapped a conversation
with Joanna Bell, the city's Arts & Culture Director, about an Arts Council partnership, and
perhaps convening a committee to plan a Juneteenth event on the Square. Other elected
officials have expressed interest in attending, and it may help to expand planning efforts to
additional groups. The Commissioners would like to invite a representative from the Arts
Council to attend the next meeting for planning.
Henderson School: Bostick noted that this was an agenda item from last year that the
Commissioners had wanted to revisit in this meeting. Vice Chair Bryant noted that not only
was this the first public school and African American school, but that it is still in existence and
something could be done to recognize that. Huggins recommended a marker. The
Commissioners discussed whether a tour of the house might be possible. Vice Chair Bryant
noted a need to reach out to the property owner and Chair Jennings recalled support from a
City Council Member to recognize the school. Bostick stated that staff have a relationship with
the owner, who has previously provided assistance and support to staff for the Historic District
Commission, and she would be able to assist with communication if needed. Chair Jennings
asked the Commissioners to bring back their thoughts on a marker to the next meeting.
Huggins asked about getting a list of projects together, and Chair Jennings agreed and asked
for goals and a list of projects to work on. Council Member Jones noted the importance of
telling a different type of history and that the Commission could work on why type of history
they want to tell. Chair Jennings mentioned developing a blueprint to make this work happen.
Framed U.S. Postal Service Black Heritage Stamp Series from Mr. Roy Horne: Bostick
shared that Fayetteville resident Roy Horne, an avid stamp collector, had provided her with
framed arrangements of full color photocopied sets of stamps from the USPS Black Heritage
series, starting in 1970. The sets included additional stamps commemorating Black history in
the US. Bostick noted that she would be able to hang the frames in her office lobby in
recognition of Black History Month and asked if the Commissioners had other ideas for the
frames. Discussion included whether the frames could be hung at the Jefferson School,
recently purchased by Potter's House when the building is reopened by the new owner.
Citywide Historic Preservation Master Plan Update: Bostick shared an update on the City's
historic preservation master planning process, including that the Commissioners would see a
draft of the plan in either their February or March meeting. Bostick additionally summarized
the survey report from Stantec and McDoux Preservation, including a high level of support for
historic preservation, an even distribution of respondents from the four wards, an even
distribution of ages excepting people younger than 19, and hundreds of open-ended
comments that highlighted important places in Fayetteville's history, provided contact
information that staff have followed up on, and in a few instances expressed opposition to
historic preservation as a priority or need for the city. This input from the community is being
incorporated into the first draft of the preservation plan. Chair Jennings asked Bostick to send
an email asking whether the Commissioners would like to cover the report in the next meeting.
Additionally, Dr. Banton is working on a fall class on the topic of Black erasure, with the
possibility of GIS mapping of Black sites and spaces. This may give the Commission and
Parks the opportunity to participate in the project.
Adjourn: 7:28pm