Africatown Liberty Bank Landmarks Preservation Board Meeting Nomination Video

libertybankinterior11-300x2941The landmarks preservation board meeting was held at the Seattle Municipal Tower on Wednesday February 5 to decide on a nomination as to whether or not the former Liberty Bank site at 2320 East Union Street, should be declared a Historic Preservation.

Here is a portion on the nomination proceedings here.

It was reported in the Central District News back on January 16, 2013 that Capitol Hill Housing had entered into an agreement with Key Bank, who had owned the building, and that CHH had planned to purchase the property and convert it into affordable housing.

The Africatown community then submitted information to the City of Seattle landmarks preservation board to consider a nomination for Liberty Bank.

The landmarks preservation board members heard comments and viewed slide shows presented by Africatown representatives and Capitol Hill Housing representatives.

Liberty Bank was founded by James Purnell, who passed away in 2005 at the age of 84. Purnell was once president of the National Bankers Association and was an influential advocate for fairer banking services to minorities.

The building’s architect, Mel Streeter, was a well respected architect in Seattle and among the most prominent African-American architects in city’s history. His work can be seen at the African American Academy and John Muir Elementary School, among other places.

Members of Seattle’s Africatown attended the meeting to continue to advocate and preserve the cultural and historic fabric of the african american central district community, now known as ‘Africatown”.

The success of Seattle’s Africatown Liberty Bank building has now been declared an Historical Preservation. The unanimous nomination decision was decided by the City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board Members.

libertybankinterior11The landmarks preservation board meeting was held at the Seattle Municipal Tower on Wednesday February 5 to decide on a nomination as to whether or not the former Liberty Bank site at 2320 East Union Street, should be declared a Historic Preservation. And it was. A true success for Africatown.

Africatown community members Omari Tahir-Garrett, and Leith Kahl spoke before the panel and also presented a slide show. Both also made statements as to why Liberty Bank should become an historic landmark. Others from the central district community also made comments.

The landmarks preservation board members then heard comments and viewed a slide show presented by Capitol Hill Housing representatives.It was reported in the Central District News back on January 16, 2013 that Capitol Hill Housing had entered into an agreement with Key Bank, who had owned the building, and that CHH had planned to purchase the property and convert it into affordable housing.

The Africatown community then submitted information to the City of Seattle landmarks preservation board to consider a nomination for Liberty Bank

Liberty Bank was founded by James Purnell, who passed away in 2005 at the age of 84. Purnell was once president of the National Bankers Association and was an influential advocate for fairer banking services to minorities.

The building’s architect, Mel Streeter, was a well respected architect in Seattle and among the most prominent African-American architects in city’s history. His work can be seen at the African American Academy and John Muir Elementary School, among other places.

Members of Seattle’s Africatown attended the meeting to continue to advocate and preserve the cultural and historic fabric of the african american central district community, now known as ‘Africatown”.

Historic preservation, economy success, education, and cultural identity all make a substantial contribution to Seattle’s Africatown community.

The success of the nomination was the right thing to do.

It was the only thing to do.

Community. Culture.

RE-GRAND OPENING: MALI FINE ART GALLERY & BOUTIQUE! SAT FEBRUARY 8, 2pm until 9pm.

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TOMORROW SAT FEB 1 – COME SEE THE ACADEMY AWARD WINNING DOCUMENTARY: “MIGHTY TIMES-THE CHILDREN’S MARCH”

Martin Luther King Jr’s march on Birmingham Alabama: The Birmingham campaign was a movement organized in early 1963 by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to bring attention to the integration efforts of African Americans in Birmingham, Alabama.

Led by Martin Luther King, Jr. and others, the campaign of nonviolent direct actions culminated in widely publicized confrontations between black youth and white civic authorities, and eventually led the municipal government to change the city’s discrimination laws.

The Documentary “Mighty Times:-The Childrens March” is apart of that early African American History.

childrensmarchposter
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1st, 3PM & 5PM
@garfield community center IN HISTORIC AFRICATOWN

Come see the Academy Award Winning Film

*“Mighty Times-The Children’s March”

Come see how young people shut down a racist city

and changed its school and economy forever!

Two Screenings:
Saturday, February 1st, 3PM & 5PM
@garfield community center IN HISTORIC AFRICATOWN

2323 East Cherry Street
Sponsored by APRI, AALC and the More 4 Mann Coalition,labor donated.

Mighty Times: *The Children’s Crusade was the name bestowed upon a march by hundreds of school students in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 2, May 3, May 4, and May 5, 1963, during the American Civil Rights Movement’s Birmingham Campaign.

COME JOIN US! SAT JAN 18 – African American African Diaspora Gathering w/ Mayor Ed Murray at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute. Africatown Center for Education & Innovation attending.

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2014: The Year of Africatown!

Tomorrow Sat Jan 18, Africatown Center for Education & Innovation will be participating and presenting a vision for Africatown at the African American African Diaspora Gathering w/ Mayor Ed Murray at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute.

On MLK Monday Jan 20, Africatown Center for Education & Innovation will be participating in the School-To-Prison Pipeline at the annual Martin Luther King Day Event with Workshops, Rally & March at Garfield High School.peace-weekafricatown

ILLEGAL THEFT OF LIBERTY BANK (KEY BANK BRANCH 24TH AND UNION)

The Africatown Community is seeking to gain back control of  “Liberty Bank”.

The origins of the first black owned bank in the central district dates back to 1968, when the property was built at 2320 East Union Street Seattle 98122, the former home of Key Bank.

The Africatown Community are working to have the property declared an Historic,and Cultural
Preservation site.

Over this past weekend May 19(Malcolm X Birthday), two signs were placed at the bank: “Liberty Bank” and “Africatown/CD”.

On the morning of  Tuesday May 21, a worker presumed to have been sent over by key bank, was there taking down the two signs. Omari Tahir-Garrett, who’s father was a founder of Liberty Bank was across the street and saw the worker. Omari walked over and requested that the worker leave the signs in place, and that they not be removed. The worker was also informed of Omari’s association with the bank and Africatown’s current plans for the property.

The worker informed Omari that he would call his boss, and the police. At the same time, there happen to be two SPD cars and an ambulance 1 block west of the bank. A female officer approached the worker, then the officer approached Omari. The officer was informed by Omari of the  Africatown Community’s involvement and plans. Omari also stated that the signs, if taken down, must be placed back into his possession. The officer informed the worker, that this is a ‘civil’ matter.

There are two brief video clips of what happened:

Video of May 21, 2013 encounter with Key Bank(?) worker removing “Liberty Bank” and “Africatown/CD” signs.

http://www.youtube.com/user/AfricatownChinatown2

ORIGINAL LAWSUIT REGARDING THE LIBERTY BANK OF SEATTLE:

940 F.2d 465: Federal Deposit Insurance corporation, As Receiverfor Liberty Bank of Seattle, Plaintiff, v. Sim Henderson, et al., Defendants.j. Thomas Wood; Barbara Wood, Husband and Wife, Defendants-counter-claimants-plaintiffs-appellants, v. Thomas Oldfield, Counter-defendant-appellee.

The Full Lawsuit can be read below:

http://africatownchinatownnewsdigest.wordpress.com/2013/04/04/illegal-theft-of-liberty-bank-key-bank-branch-24th-and-union/

Also see:

Liberty Bank – FDIC Certificate #: 27268
http://www2.fdic.gov/idasp/confirmation_outside.asp?inCert1=27268

 

The Africatown Community