Founder
Der.rlckC.
StII/l Writer -
The Museum of African
American Hi tory's annual
meeting held Dec. 11, was
marked by a question of city
ver u membership control
of the museum.
u eum founder Dr.
Charles Wright called the
question on the procedure
of appointing board mem­
bers, - pointing out museum
members used to vote on
even members from the
priv te sector to serve on
the board, and the city
would appoint eight for a
majority.
He says over the years the
bo rd changed it's bylaws to
allow the city to appoint all
of the board members.
Board Chairman Eugene
Gilmer says this arrange­
ment came about when the
museum agreed to accept
city funding. Th-e museum
received almost $900,000 in
grants from the city this
year, out of a total of
$1,046,125.
Fourteen members cur­
rently serve on the board,
-and most were appointed by
M yor Coleman Young.
The tenure of board mem­
bers is two years, and it is
the mayor's perogative on
whether to reappoint or not.
SO E E BE S ex-
pressed concern that the
Young appointed board is
not representative of the
museum's 3000 members.
Wright said this was a
reason for his resignation as
board chairman this ye r.
He served as the museum's
board chairman for twenty-
cc
y C.
Stall Writer
Highland Park Com­
munity College (HPCC) has
plans to begin the nation's
first business incubator
designed to serve arts or­
g nizations.
The Arts Incubator
program will start in March
1991, and will assist the
development of African­
American I arts organiza­
tions over a three to five
year period. The Michigan
Council for the Arts
provided a $50,000 grant for
the program.
"The Arts Incubator will
provide an array of rvices
and technical assistance to
arts organizations and ar­
tists in a sheltered environ­
ment," said-project Director
Dr. Vivia Ross. "We have
found through our experien­
ces nd research that these
organizations are continu­
ing-to struggle to make ends
meet after being in business
uestio
Dece ber 23-29, 199
MICHIGA CITIZE
P ge 3
s city control of
AAH
five years.
Museum member Hazel
Lee says a lot of people will
not have anything to do with
-the museum, financially,
until there is a reconcilia­
tion between Wright and the
board.
Gilmer indicated
Wright's support of the
museum should be a sign of
a reconciliation.
Wrlght says he supports
the museum by paying dues,
but there has been no recon­
ciliation. He says he does
not know what is going on at
the museum.
WRIGHT ALSO ASKED
Gilmer about the future of
the museum, saying it was
not .discusse d during
presentations by him and
museum Executive Director
Marian Moore. .
Wright was referring t.o
negotiations the museum is
having with the Detroit In­
stitue of Arts, the Science
Center, and the Center of
Creative Studies to deter­
mine whether the musuem
building will be sold to the
city and relocated else­
where.
. Gilmer would not com­
ment on the museum's posi­
tion, saying the negotiations
are continuing and a report
to the membership will be
given when the board
receives further informa­
tion,
About 150 people at­
tended the annual meeting
vh ich included a slide
presentation presented by
Moore, which gave a
glimpse of events given by
the museum during the year,
Moore pointed out more
than 489,587 people at­
tended musuem events
during the fiscal year. Some
events hosted by the
museum was- the Museum's
25th Anniversary Celebra­
tion in March which in­
cluded the awarding of the
Paul Robeson scholar hip
tc student Lori Hall, ho is
currently att nding
Hampton University;
THE MEUM
HOSTED the Winds of
Freedom exhibition, youth
oriented project, featuring
more than 100 works of art
by area students; .
The 7th Annual African
World Festival, attended by
nearly 310,000 people,
which earned the museum
$102,703, and;
Held a march with the
city of Detroit to honor
African National Congress
leader Nelson Mandela.
The museum also
revealed it's first edition of
Afrjcatl American News, a
newsletter which will circu­
late four times a year to
keep members informed of
events at the museum.
The financial report indio:
cated the museum received
$1,388,786 in total revenue
for 1290, compared to
$1,132,122 in 1989. The
museum received $24,461 in
private contributions,
$50,096 from the member­
ship, $16,689 in interest and
dividends, nd $148,712
from "other revenues."
Expenses for 1990 was
$1,671,302, an increase of
$421,009 from )989. A
beginning of the year fund
balance of $992,885 covered
the revenue dcficncy.
o
Ar·
for over a decade. Our plan
is to assist an organization
to stabilize and grow by
receiving the training and
skill development -oppor­
tunities afforded other busi-
.
-ncsscs.
The arts and entertain­
ment industry is a multi-bil­
lion dollar business and we
want them to develop the
skill which can insure in­
creased participation, job
creation, and uccess of our
talented Michigan-b sed r­
ti ts nd entertainers."
Tenants (organizations
based at the Incubator) will
have access to management
support service , office
staff, 0 fice space, and of­
fice equipment provided by
the coli ge.
REGULAR E lARS,
training sessions, and
workshops will be provided
for organization staff and
board members, and ongo-
_ ing consulting services will
be provided including the
Know-How Network," a
resource pool of practicing
professional advisors.
"We anticipate up 1.0
eight organizations will
enter the incubator with the
first year of operation," said
HPce President Comer
Heath. ·Within three years,
the tenant list will increase
to fifteen. This is a tremen­
dous opportunity for the or­
ganizations and HPCC."
According to the N ation­
al Business Incubator- As­
sociation, "Incubators play
nurturing role in helping
young businesses survive
and grow during the start­
up period when they are
most vulnerable."
At the end of a six month
period incubator ten' nts
must show pI n of
development over a three to
four year period, and how it
will ".wean it elf from the i - .
cubator."
The progr m is a part of
the college's Community
Cultural Center, which of-
80 rd Chairm n Eugene Gilmer
Director M rl n Moore.
Executive
Mu seum of Afric Americ' n HI tory fo
Wright think the mayor's pointed bo rd i
entlve of u reum m mbershlp
o
ba
c
munity re idents, students,
artists, and' arts org niz -
tions;
To serve a "a production .
and busine � development
center for professional ar­
tists and he community,
and;
- To b a catalyst for
program and projects
wh ich wil enh nce the
economic and bu ine s
development opportunitie
for artist and t he- com­
munity.
fers c Itural arts programs
and a tivitics for the High­
land ark community and
metro Detroit.
I Tii CULTUR L
Conte 's primary objectives
are:
o er c as a vehicle
h which artists reprc-
a.wide variety of ar­
ti tic iscipline in African­
Amer can cultural tradi­
tions an be presented;
- T provide educational
oppo tunities for com-
I .
CLOSED
DEC. 21
.2
I
LIDA S