St. Augustine Record: Civil RIghts Museum Proposed

Civil Rights Museum proposed for Lincolnville
By PETER GUINTA
Created 06/12/2011 - 12:09am
Summary:

A kickoff fundraiser began Saturday morning for a proposed 12,000-square-foot Civil Rights Museum proposed for vacant property in Lincolnville at M.L. King Avenue and DeHaven Street owned by St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church.

A kickoff fundraiser began Saturday morning for a proposed 12,000-square-foot Civil Rights Museum proposed for vacant property in Lincolnville at M.L. King Avenue and DeHaven Street owned by St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church.

Estimated total cost of the museum will be $14 million to $15 million, although St. Augustine City Commissioner Errol Jones said the final figure could be somewhat lower.

"That figure is based on building a structure from the ground up," Jones said. "We're going to look at other options, including existing structures."

The museum's contents would also depend on what is chosen.

For example, many museums contain artifacts relating to a specific time, such as 1962 to 1965 and events, such as the Woolworth lunch counter where many young black people were arrested at downtown sit-ins.

The exhibits could also include documents, arrest records, books and photographs.

And -- depending on how far back the time line extends -- could include information and artifacts about early and later periods of slavery.

Jones said he's toured several museums in the Southeast and said some artifact collections can be static and uninteresting.

"But institutes, whether civil rights or human rights, can tell a story that is continuous. Technology would play a major role," he said.

Donations have begun to filter in.

Michelle Regan, a recent University of Florida graduate, said several donation checks have already been written.

Former St. Augustine resident and former Freedom Rider Hank Thomas, now a successful Atlanta businessman, has already donated $3,000 and Jones said he plans to give more.

Retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Richard Willich, chairman and chief executive officer of MDI Holdings of Ponte Vedra, donated $100,000 to create a high-tech learning center inside the museum.

He said that Thomas, a U.S. Army soldier, served near him in 1965 in Vietnam.

Regan presented an artist's rendering and a possible floor plan at a luncheon at the Casa Monica Hotel honoring former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young of Atlanta.

"This could really become a new part of Lincolnville," Regan said. "It could serve as a catalyst for further growth."

The proposed plans include building a large commercial structure along King Street and incorporating the deteriorated Excelsior High School into the project.

Jones added that for this to come about, the project will need major donors.

Young spoke about the project's value.

"We can't just celebrate the past, we have to prepare for the future," he said.
peter.guinta@staugustine.com