Make Home of Black History Month Founder a Public Museum
The National Park Service is considering a plan to turn the home of Black History Month founder Carter G. Woodson into a public museum. However, those plans are being challenged by a group of residents in the gentrifying DC neighborhood surrounding the home.
The National Park Service hopes to restore and stabilize Woodson's home, which is currently a National Historic Site. Doing so would allow visitors to tour the home and learn about Woodson's life and legacy through innovative and interactive interpretive exhibits, videos, materials, and programs in the adjacent buildings. The Association for the Study of African American Life and History, founded by Woodson in 1915, would assist the National Park Service with turning the home into a public museum.
The plan, which currently faces opposition from local residents, is open for public review and comment until March 13, 2012. Act now to show your support for making the Woodson Home a public museum that honors his work to document the lives and history of Americans of African descent.
We the undersigned support the plan to make the Carter G. Woodson Home a public museum.
We know that the proposed plan to restore and stabilize Woodson's home to allow visitors to tour the structure and learn about Woodson's life and legacy are being challenged by residents in the gentrifying neighborhood surrounding the home.
We believe, though, that honoring Woodson's work to document the lives and history of Americans of African descent is a priority. We therefore hope you will give little weight to the opposition and will proceed with the plan to turn the home into a public museum.
We thank you for your efforts in this matter.
