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African American Landmarks Preservation Initiative Report Published | Columbus Landmarks

The Report of the African American Landmark Preservation Initiative (AALPI) is published and available. AALPI researched and documented African American settlements in Columbus including Burnside Heights, Hanford Village, Flytown, Poindexter Village, and more. The goal of this initiative was to collaborate with existing and new preservation organizations and individuals, researchers, archivists, and others to research the identified African American settlements that existed and still exist throughout all geographic quadrants in Columbus. >>VIEW 85-page Report The two-year AALPI project was supported by a major grant from the Ohio Humanities Council. The OHC grant provided the necessary match for the initial grant from the Richard and Julia Moe Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.The initiative was also supported with private donations through Power2Give, GCAC’s crowd-funding platform. AALPI recruited volunteers, provided free workshops on research and preservation, engaged over 40 volunteers in an on-going community based research project. Toni Smith served as project manager. Guided by retired librarian Becky Ellis, the west side team was a lively group of community elders engaged in high octane discussions about their childhood neighborhood of Burnside Heights, including snake hunts and elephant sightings. Veteran researcher Nettie Ferguson created an engaging portrait of David Jenkins, a little-known African American with accomplishments as vast as the better known Reverend James Poindexter. Cheryl and Frederic Garrett, Lenore Thomas and Lloyd Clark, and Julialynne Walker met for weeks and months, independently and with other researchers, to mine information about the Near East Side, the historic Franklin Park Medical Center, Bronzeville, and Poindexter Village. Sellsville, Mudsock and other little known and well known African American settlements were discovered, uncovered, and distinguished. A panel of experts reviewed the project and discussed its implications for future community based research activities in September. Panelists were Sam Gresham, Common Cause Ohio; Hasan Jeffries, The Ohio State University; Barbara Powers, Ohio History Connection: and Reita Smith, First Families of Ohio. >>READ 1.19.13 Columbus Dispatch story