AP, April 14, 2009
A glowing bronze crown meant to evoke historical imagery of African-Americans emerged Tuesday as the winning architectural concept for a new black history museum on the National Mall.
A Smithsonian Institution jury selected the team Freelon Adjaye Bond, in association with SmithGroup, from six finalists in a design competition to build the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
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The bronze, layered corona atop a stone base would be the defining element of the structure, which could be the last major building added to the expanse between the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument.
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The crown concept, which would allow natural light to flow into the structure through bronze screens, was inspired by images from African and American history, Adjaye [David Adjaye, the lead designer] said, “this idea of uplifted praise sort of imagery.”
It evokes traditional headdresses worn by African-American women, as well as the colonial crown from Africa and the idea “that a hat-wearing person is a free person . . . who doesn’t have to carry a load but could wear a hat,” he said.
The bronze exterior would have a “dynamic and changing view,” depending on the sun’s angle and cloud cover. At night, it would glow with light emerging from its skin, the architects said.
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The design process will take up to three years and is subject to approval from groups that oversee architecture in the nation’s capital. Construction is expected to begin in 2012, with an opening slated for 2015.
Congress has pledged to provide half of the museum’s $500 million cost, with private fundraising to cover the rest.
Museum Director Lonnie Bunch said he was looking for a building that would speak of the resiliency, optimism and spirituality of the African-American community.
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Freelon [Philip G. Freelon, a North Carolina-based principal of the team] has designed prior black history projects, including Baltimore’s Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History and Culture.
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Original article
(Posted on April 15, 2009)
Comments
“Museum Director Lonnie Bunch said he was looking for a building that would speak of the resiliency, optimism and spirituality of the African-American community.”
Laughing out loud, in utter abject disgust!
Well Comrade Bunch, if that is what you wished to depict, a bronze “crown” is certainly not the way to go for this “commoonity.”
To represent “African-American” resiliency, one would erect an open mouth that was constantly hooting or screeching for undeserved “rights.” To represent “African-American” optimism, one would erect an endlessly grasping hand directed at a pile of unearned money. To represent “African-American” spirituality, one would erect an eternally burning heap of excrement from which popped up: “Saint” Martin, “Saint” Malcolm, and of course the “savior” Obama.
As always, God help us all!
I believe an entirely appropriate building in which to house the new black history museum in DC would be an abandoned inner city dwelling from, say, Detroit or Newark. It would have tremendous authenticity plus making the visitors feel welcome. Broken windows, grafitti, clogged toilets, empty Night Train wine bottles littering the floors, broken plaster, and shattered furniture would enhance the sense of authenticity in the museum and place its visitors in a familiar and relaxing environment. Loudspeakers could could play rap music punctuated by intermittent gunfire and screams.
This could be accomplished at a fraction of the cost of the proposed new structure, plus giving visitors a true and poignant experience of life in da ‘hood.
“Optimism of the African-American community???”
“Yeah, we’re optimistic that someday, whitey is gonna stop oppressin’ us.”
“We’re optimistic that someday, whitey will welcome us into his neighborhoods.”
“We’re optimistic that someday, evil white racism will finally end and us blacks will be the equal of whites in all areas.”
Such “optimism” is enough to gag a dead horse.
“Optimism” to my mind, is not a trait that blacks are best known for. The only “optimism” I see is an “optimism” that blames other races for all of their troubles.
The Smith already has a HUGE building dedicated to black nonsense. I went there with my wife and it was about the only thing open there, everything was closed for some reason or other. It was mostly pictures of MLK and dubious black african ‘art’ but I guess besides that, blacks have pretty much done NOTHING to improve civilization.
Probably some museum that will become a required field trip for students in the DC area. I shudder to think if this museum was to be erected in my home state of Florida. My son is 12 and in the public school system. He takes notes in his Social Studies Class about the inconsistancies of his teacher’s presentations regarding black historical moments and political views of a liberal nature. He asks me how the teacher can tell all the students that they are all equal in every aspect when he hears the news with blacks committing the violent crimes, he notices the trend of not identifying the race of the perpetrator by the same news organizations, the blacks in his school claiming to be superior to whites when he tells me most of them are failing/struggling to get through the most basic of subjects, etc. And he is only 12! A side note, he asked the same teacher when they were going to have a report due on white history month back in February since the school was doing black history for that month. The teacher told him it was an inappropriate and not amusing comment. She would write him up on a referral if he made any other similiar comments. I have to tell him to keep such thoughts to himself and come home to discuss them with me. To do otherwise would put him in physical danger from the darker, but apparently “equal” students. He is a small guy and some of the blacks in his school look like they are in their late teens/early twenties though his school only goes up to 8th grade.
Will there be a wing dedicated to black violence towards other races?
Slightly off-topic but I just wanted to mention it. If you ever happen to be in Dealey Plaza and go to the book depository building, in the stores downstairs most of the books for sale are about Martin Luther King and not JFK. I thought this was wierd, even inapropriate. You would think it was MLK that was shot there….White history always seems to become “black” history somehow.
What, pray tell, will they fill it with?
Most of black history is found in police blotters and court criminal files.
This is unbelievable. From reading the article you’d think that Mother Africa was the apotheosis of human civilization and culture. Oh well…once they start busing in black kids from the DC school system for field trips, the place will become trashed, and take on the appearance of the inner city ghetto. So, taxpayers (meaning mostly white people) will foot half the bill? And just where will the other 250 mil in “private donations” come from? Guilty white liberals is my guess. As I said, unbelievable.
Oh, c’mon, don’t you know that blacks are descended from the Egyptians? They had it going on back then…had a pretty good civilization going and everything!
Of course, I’d love to ask these blacks who believe that tripe, what happened in the past few thousand years since then? Or do you blame whitey for hurling you back into the Stone Age?
I hope he goes to places like Detroit and Oakland for inspiration, these are the true examples of black genius at work in America today. Will he be importing any of the D.C. crowd to give an example of their health issues too?
And just where will the other 250 mil in “private donations” come from? Guilty white liberals is my guess.
And probably rich foundations, endowed with white benefactors’ money, long since taken over by blacks and Marxists, and turned against us.
He is a small guy and some of the blacks in his school look like they are in their late teens/early twenties though his school only goes up to 8th grade.
I have noticed the same thing while my boys were in school. The old joke about “the hardest 5 years of an 18 year old black man…is the 3rd grade!!!”
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I bitterly resent that taxpayers’ money will be going toward this sham.
“Congress has pledged to provide half of the museum’s $500 million cost, with private fundraising to cover the rest.”
I suppose that this $250 million will just rain like manna from heaven????
“Congress has pledged to provide half of the museum’s $500 million cost, with private fundraising to cover the rest.”
If this thing, being run by blacks, actually ONLY costs $500 million, it will be a miracle. I predict it being run/operated/money spent and staffed by blacks, will end up costing 1-2 billion with allowance made for the usual graft, corruption and cadillac Escalades with donk wheels.
