Jackson Free Press

Rumors are circulating that Tougaloo College may have to abandon site development of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum near the college's campus because of funding issues.

"I know I have heard from a source with city government that Tougaloo is supposed to be having some issues securing enough money to continue with the development," Ward 2 Councilman Chokwe Lumumba told the Jackson Free Press. "I wish the college well in its endeavor to make the museum a reality, but I have heard from a source that the money to fund it isn't turning out very easy to acquire with the economy like it is."

If true, the city of Jackson could step in and vie—for a second time—to claim space for the museum, possibly in the downtown area, among a host of other museums like the Mississippi Museum of Art, the International Museum of Muslim Cultures and the Smith Robertson Museum.

Tougaloo President Beverly Hogan has declined comment on the rumors. Danny Jones, spokesman for Tougaloo, said Hogan says the college has no financial issues developing the museum.

"Hogan has said that she has not heard anything about the project being stalled," Jones told the Jackson Free Press. Jones made no predictions on when the college would be breaking ground on the venture, however, and did not name a project manager in control of development.

After a vociferous battle with the city of Jackson, which wanted the museum downtown, a Civil Rights Museum commission approved the Tougaloo location of the National Civil Rights Museum in March 2008, with a 22-to-9 vote. Commission members included Hogan, who voted in favor of the Tougaloo location, despite outcry from people who prefer that the museum be downtown Jackson location, near the historic black Farish Street business district.

Commission member and former Jackson City Council President Leslie McLemore was one of nine members who opposed the Tougaloo decision, arguing that downtown Jackson was the best location, considering the number of people and businesses and entertainment venues opening up in the area.

Former Mayor Kane Ditto said at the time of the 2008 vote that he could not shake the feeling that some commission members had intended for Tougaloo to be the location at the onset of the commission.

Prior to the vote, Ditto even suggested commission members vote in a secret ballot due to perceived pressure from some of the commission's more powerful representatives, like former Judge Reuben Anderson, a Tougaloo graduate and the commission co-chairman. Anderson told members that the commission had not steered the decision toward Tougaloo, and that "there has been no effort to stuff anything down any commissioner's throat in this process."

Ditto, however, pointed out last year that the initial design of the museum heavily skewed the museum toward Tougaloo by embracing a pastoral location as opposed to an urban setting: "(LaPaglia and Associates) have (been told) to design a museum that has to go on a suburban site," Ditto argued.

LaPaglia & Associates President Pete LaPaglia—now deceased—told the JFP at the time that they designed the building around a suburban setting because attendance rates at the less urban Museum of Natural Science and the Mississippi Agriculture Museum surpassed downtown tourist attractions, possibly because of issues with urban blight. Ben Allen, president of Downtown Jackson Partners—which invested $30,000 promoting the city of Jackson as a location—said then that LaPaglia's numbers ignored the success of the Jackson Zoological Park, which surpassed all state parks save Vicksburg National Military Park despite sitting in a heavily blighted area.

Other critics cited failures within the past city administration to promote Jackson. Then-Mayor Frank Melton initially advocated for a largely unresearched site near the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum on Lakeland Drive as a potential location, but then pulled that suggestion at the last minute, citing issues with clear-cutting nearby Jamie Fowler Boyll Park.

Both Allen and Ditto said they have heard rumors that Tougaloo is having difficulty gathering money for the museum this year, but declined further comment.

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., downplayed the rumors. "As far as I know, the development of the Civil Rights Museum at Tougaloo is moving forward," the Tougaloo graduate told the Jackson Free Press.

However, Roy Decker, of Duvall Decker Architects—the company originally commissioned by the governor's panel to design site selection for the museum in 2008—said the company has heard no further word on development since the original commission disbanded last year.

"We're probably the most qualified firm in the area to handle the design of the museum, but to my knowledge, we've not done anything else on it. We've not been secured by Tougaloo or the Civil Rights Commission," Decker said. "I've not heard anything after the commission disbanded, but hopefully we'll be in the mix."

Rep. Thompson, a Tougaloo graduate who has recently pushed an effort to steer federal money toward Tougaloo, according to Washington political periodical Roll Call, admitted that funding the museum has not been a skip in the park.

"Obviously, the economy is hurting it a little bit. The interest is still there, but you have to face reality," Thompson said. "At some point there will be some federal participation, but right now the local effort has to be solidified enough to make the federal side support it."

Thompson added that Anderson was heading up a fundraising effort to finance the museum, possibly connected to the upcoming 50th anniversary celebration of the historic Freedom Riders effort in 1961.

"Anderson, and Dr. (Leslie) McLemore are chairing a local effort to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the freedom riders sit-in, and part of that will be an effort to jumpstart the real fundraising for the museum," Thompson said.

McLemore said he was heading up an effort to organize a 50th Freedom Rider anniversary celebration, but did not believe the celebration was currently tied to funding the Civil Rights Museum.

"Justice Anderson said when we met maybe a month ago that money raised for this enterprise would be separate and apart from any money raised for the Civil Rights Museum," said McLemore, adding that he too had heard that the development of the museum was hitting some speed bumps.

"There have been some discussions in other quarters about whether it may be at Tougaloo or out of town, but obviously nothing is really getting put out there," McLemore told the Jackson Free Press. "Once they disbanded the advisory committee, I have not had any correspondence with them, although, at some point, a final decision has to be made in terms of location, because the location of the museum will impact how effective the fundraising will be."

Previous Commentsshow

Like i said before i will not be visiting the tougaloo civil right museum. The deck was stacked with too many tougaloo special interest grads and closed minded people. They are selfish because they only see whats good for tougaloo rather than whats good for Jackson as a whole. Location Location Location. Thanks Tom Head for your insight on tougaloo being the best location for the museum. Mayor Harvey Johnson pounce on thses selfish people and reposition downtown Jackson as the ideal site.

NewJackson

Jul 28 2009

I'm in wait-and-see mode at the moment. If it turns out that Tougaloo can't secure the funding, Jackson should strike while the iron is hot.

LatashaWillis

Jul 28 2009

Put it on court street right across the street from museum of art and behind the convention center. Put the front entrance of the civil rights museum at the end of lamar street at the light. Walking distance for convention goers and a double whammy with museum of art and just to think the civil rights museum across the street. LETS MAKE IT HAPPEN.

NewJackson

Jul 28 2009

another vote here for a downtown location. in my visits to other cities who have embraced their downtowns, museums and other attractions such as this draw people in. we need as much as we can get in downtown jackson to draw in tourist and local dollars, and to overcome the naysayers who think downtown is a haven for crime. i understand the role tougaloo played, and the historical significance of that location, but does farish not hold just as much significance? would an area downtown not be best suited for attracting the largest number of visitors? as said by @newjackson, location, location, location. i will not visit the museum should it decide to locate in ridgeland.

2599

Jul 28 2009

2599- It should be in downtown Jackson. You need to go back and read the discussion we had back in March 2008 on this subject. Very interesting reading. Don't think Ridgeland has ever been considered as an location for the museum, Tougaloo is in the Jackson city limits not Ridgleand's :) It is in Madison county not Hinds.

BubbaT

Jul 28 2009

Ahh, Money. How little things can foul up big plans.

Ironghost

Jul 29 2009

This site should have been planned within downtown Jackson from the beginning. That said, I hope it moves forward and is successful whether at Tougaloo or in the CBD.

Jeff Lucas

Jul 29 2009

bubba, i thought county line road was the boundary between hinds and madison and between jackson and ridgeland? touglaoo is north of county line. but, if you say so, i stand corrected!

2599

Jul 29 2009

County line is the boundry between Hinds and Madison counties, but if you look at a map the city limits follows the big curve in 220 from Highland Colony to intersection of 220/55/Countyline at Target. Most of what inside the curve to the south including Touglaoo is in the city limit of Jackson and also in Madison county.

BubbaT

Jul 29 2009

Bubba is correct about Tougaloo being in the Jackson city limits. I learned that when I went to school there. There is also a portion of Jackson that overlaps into Rankin County in the area where the YMCA on Fortification is.

LatashaWillis

Jul 29 2009

And the Airport is an island in Rankin county as well.

BubbaT

Jul 29 2009

My company brings in visitors from local airports all the time…and most visitors stay in downtown Jackson hotels. I've been in the transportation business here for well over a decade and I'm amazed and pleased at the increasing number of visitors, many corporate, we have arriving to and departing from this city on any given day. Their common question? "What can I do and see and where can I eat within walking distance of my hotel?"... I hope this museum ends up where it should be. In order for Jackson to truly become a destination city - and we must become one - we absolutely must have a defined destination... and that is and should be downtown Jackson.

bryanms

Jul 30 2009

I agree, bryan. Most Jacksonians are used to driving everywhere we go because of the way the city is laid out (especially with no sidewalks in most places), and I think we assume that everyone else who comes here will want to do the same. At least there are sidewalks downtown!

LatashaWillis

Jul 30 2009

BTW, all, The Clarion-Ledger did a page one story about the civil rights museums's woes yesterday -- more than a month after Adam did the above story. Right on schedule.

DonnaLadd

Aug 31 2009