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Final Workshop

Tuskeegee, Alabama  January 1980

This is the final exploratory and planning workshop conducted under a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. A primary objective of the workshops is to identify people and resources, with a view toward developing a National Resource Center on Afro-American Architecture. In addition to training and research, the proposed center would house archives, research data on Afro-American architects and buildings, historic preservation projects, and listings of both resource people and funding sources.

The following is the funding proposal abstract as submitted to NEA.:

Funds are requested for a research project with a future long-range goal of developing an Institute of Afro-American Architecture. The short-term goals to be accomplished under this grant are: 

(1) [[underlined]] Planning and conducting a research seminar and panel discussions [[/underlined]]. The proposed topics to be addressed are: African Environmental Arts; Planing an Afro-American Architectural Archive; History of Black Architects; Historic Preservation.  As a part of the seminar, these topics would be explored in 4 panel discussions, whose participants would be specialists in the areas under discussions. Each of the 4 panels would be open to the public, and videotaped for future use by schools and scholars. Future project development would be an integral part of the seminar and panels.

(2) [[underlined]] Establishing a group of specialists to evaluate research proposals and approaches to be undertaken by the proposed Institute[[/underlined]].

(3) [[underlined]] Preparing a final report, which incorporates working proposals for the establishment of the proposed Institute [[/underlined]].  The project of directors, Richard K. Dozier, architect/educator, has conducted research, published articles and taught courses on Afro American architecture. J. Max Bond, leading black architect and member of the Columbia faculty, Will also be involved in the project. In addition, a Board of Advisors will be selected from the participating specialists to ensure continuity of ideas and program development.

While the concept of a"center" was supported, conclusions of the previous workshops Word to establish regional centers perhaps linked to existing Institutions (museums, schools). In addition, the following were discussed in Texas, identification of scholars currently engaged in research, design, or related areas of Afro-American Architecture and the development of an atmosphere for cooperation, coordination, and dissemination of research.