DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa Afro-American Cultural Center, 1968-2009 | 1972-06-29 Daily Iowan Article: "UI Blacks seek city contract"

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University of Iowa Afro-American Cultural Center, 1968-2009

1972-06-29 Daily Iowan Article: "UI Blacks seek city contract"

[handwritten]
DI 6/29/72 

UI Blacks seek city contact 

By SUSAN WHITLEY
Staff Writer

The University of Iowa Afro-American Center is trying to increase contact between Black people in the community and the Center though children's and creativity workshops this summer. 
    The Center's program coordinator, Keith O. Nelson G, said that in the past, activities were aimed towards the students: but " with the workshops, the Center is attempting to bring other segments of the community together." 
   The children's workshop is being offered through the month of July for Black children in the community between the ages of 6 and 13. The workshop operates as a half-day activity in the afternoons much like a day-camp with voluntary supervision provided by the parents of the children, according to Nelson. Scheduled activities include field trips, story-telling sessions, cartoons and films. Nelson said that it may be possible for the children to work on vegetable and flower gardens. 

Workshops Open

The other workshop is open to people who want to experiment in the Arts. Most of the materials for the creativity workshop will be supplied by the Center and craft sessions will be held on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, in crocheting, painting, sculpting and block-printing. 
  Both workshops, Nelson said, are in line with the Center's primary goal for next year which is "more functions inviting community involvement and children-related activities." 
   While the Center is concentrating on the summer activities promoting more community involvement, Nelson said the Center's staff is analyzing the space utilization for the past year and altering the facilities to fit the needs of the people who will use it next fall.

The Center moved a year ago to its present  location- a three-story building behind Hillcrest and Quadrangle dormitories- because the Market Street location could not meet the demands of the students. 

The Center's first floor houses a kitchen, library, reading room and assorted meeting rooms. The second and third floors are used for the workshops, offices and more meeting rooms. 

The university supplies the Afro-American Center with housing, but Nelson said all the Center's activities, and housing maintenance are funded " on a limited budget of $4,000" through the Special Support Services (a university administrative program) .

Financing needed

Money is the basic problem at the Center, according to Nelson. " A lack of a larger financial committment," Nelson said, is keeping the Center from doing more things it would like to do. 
 The Center is not a separate student organization, Other autonomous groups such as the Black Action Theatre, Black Medical Students, Black Student Union, and Black Genesis Troupe interpretive dancers, have used the facilities at one time or another for different purposes, because " We are all working at the same job to provide program use and benefits for the Black community," Nelson said. 
   The Center is in the process of developing its own dark room facilities for a photography workshop to begin in the fall semester.

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[handwritten] DI 6/29/72 UI Blacks seek city contact By SUSAN WHITLEY Staff Writer The University of Iowa Afro-American Center is trying to increase contact between Black people in the community and the Center though children's and creativity workshops this summer. The Center's program coordinator, Keith O. Nelson G, said that in the past, activities were aimed towards the students: but " with the workshops, the Center is attempting to bring other segments of the community together." The children's workshop is being offered through the month of July for Black children in the community between the ages of 6 and 13. The workshop operates as a half-day activity in the afternoons much like a day-camp with voluntary supervision provided by the parents of the children, according to Nelson. Scheduled activities include field trips, story-telling sessions, cartoons and films. Nelson said that it may be possible for the children to work on vegetable and flower gardens. Workshops Open The other workshop is open to people who want to experiment in the Arts. Most of the materials for the creativity workshop will be supplied by the Center and craft sessions will be held on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, in crocheting, painting, sculpting and block-printing. Both workshops, Nelson said, are in line with the Center's primary goal for next year which is "more functions inviting community involvement and children-related activities." While the Center is concentrating on the summer activities promoting more community involvement, Nelson said the Center's staff is analyzing the space utilization for the past year and altering the facilities to fit the needs of the people who will use it next fall. The Center moved a year ago to its present location- a three-story building behind Hillcrest and Quadrangle dormitories- because the Market Street location could not meet the demands of the students. The Center's first floor houses a kitchen, library, reading room and assorted meeting rooms. The second and third floors are used for the workshops, offices and more meeting rooms. The university supplies the Afro-American Center with housing, but Nelson said all the Center's activities, and housing maintenance are funded " on a limited budget of $4,000" through the Special Support Services (a university administrative program) . Financing needed Money is the basic problem at the Center, according to Nelson. " A lack of a larger financial committment," Nelson said, is keeping the Center from doing more things it would like to do. The Center is not a separate student organization, Other autonomous groups such as the Black Action Theatre, Black Medical Students, Black Student Union, and Black Genesis Troupe interpretive dancers, have used the facilities at one time or another for different purposes, because " We are all working at the same job to provide program use and benefits for the Black community," Nelson said. The Center is in the process of developing its own dark room facilities for a photography workshop to begin in the fall semester.