"Doug Grow: Controversy draws attention to black history display"
JLS---First, thank you Eric Oines for your reminder to all about civility.
As one who works in the HC Government Center, upon learning of this
controversy I sent a note to County Board Chair Michael Opat expressing my
concerns about the potential for perceptions of censorship and especially
the perceptions of African American county employees, clients and customers.
I had not seen the original photo, but have since twice visited the exhibit,
once while it was labeled in progress and again later. I found the exhibit
evocative and informative. I appreciate the thoughtful posts by List
Members on this subject.
Mr. Opat explained in his response to my note of concern that "The photo was
removed in favor of a smaller version that will appear along with a copy of
the Duluth newspaper story that covered the tragic event." While I think
replacing the original photo but adding contextual information would have
been preferable, in my view the decision to add the background information
about the photo's historic context in Duluth was appropriate.
Mr. Bonham already responded to Mr. Kushner's 'who elected Michael Opat'
question. Since his election Michael Opat has worked side-by-side with
residents of the 1st District to make strategic investments in our
communities and to spend scarce tax dollars wisely to achieve
results--Humboldt Greenway; CommonBond senior housing (including affordable
component); Highway 100 reconstruction; Northwest Corridor Partnership are a
few examples with which I am familiar. Further, a document reciting the
history of African American settlement in the Shingle Creek community was
produced as part of the Humboldt Greenway project. This document was later
serialized in the Shingle Creek neighborhood (NRP) newsletter to honor Black
History Month.
Jordan Kushner of Golden Valley wrote:
"...a red herring - a convenient excuse for Opat to avoid dealing with his
apparent own discomfort about being confronted with racism.
What is also disturbing is that the exhibit was positioned in the basement,
instead of in the atrium on the skyway level where many more people pass
through and would notice it. Whereas a large cross section of the public
passes through the atrium, it is mostly city and county employees that go to
the basement of the government center and back and forth between City Hall."
JLS--The County "Gallery" is situated where it is--it's not in some art
museum. It's on the A-Level space across from the cafeteria renovation,
near the waterfall and credit union, on the way to the tunnel between the
HCGC and the Municipal Building, but not all that far from the Jury Assembly
room. In the record of the County Board it appears that Mr. Opat introduced
the resolution to act on immediate approval of a request to use this space
for Black History month. If the request was to use the A-Level Gallery (see
link below), it hardly seems fair to criticize Mr. Opat or "county
bureaucrats" for siting the exhibit at that location.
JLS--Mr, Kushner may be correct about the larger cross section of the public
that uses the Public Service Level atrium. I may be wrong, but I would have
some security concerns regarding the valuable historic artifacts on display
were I asked to exhibit them on the crowded Public Service Level. Despite
the Government Center escalator construction project that is underway, I
suspect HC Public Affairs can work with the African American Historical and
Civil Rights Museum to further publicize the Gallery location to visitors to
the County building (as if the exhibits needs more media attention, as Doug
Grow wrote).
And as Doug Grow wrote in the Star Tribune:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/3636343.html)
"Some background: Months ago, Seals received permission to use an exhibit
space in the basement of the Government Center during February, which is
Black History Month."
JLS--I don't know if approval was granted "months ago" as Doug Grow wrote,
and if the formal Board approval was only obtained more recently due to
year-end transitions on the Board.
Link to County Board actions:
http://www.co.hennepin.mn.us/countyboard/bdag03/bdag01-28-03/immapp.html
ITEMS FOR IMMEDIATE APPROVAL
January 28, 2003 Item 10 10A
Commissioner Opat
Request to use the A-Level Gallery by the African American Historical and
Civil Rights Museum for the month of February 2003. 03-1
Jordan Kushner of Golden Valley wrote:
"There has been an exhibit about baseball history in Minnesota located in
the atrium for months. Why wasn't the Black History exhibit placed in this
spot? Is not considered important enough to the county bureaucrats? Or are
they concerned about the public being "incited" or provoked from too much
meaningful education?..."
JLS--I find this commentary/diatribe disingenuous. Is Mr. Kushner referring
to the baseball "exhibit" informally installed on plywood construction
barriers covering the work space fo
