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ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED.
SO THIS MORNING, UH, WE WANT THE VERY FIRST VOICE THAT WE HEAR AND START THIS PROGRAM TO BE THE VOICE OF HONORABLE JUANITA JEWEL CRAFT.
I HAPPEN TO BE OF A DARKER HUE THAN SOME OTHER AMERICANS.
I DON'T BELIEVE IN SEGREGATION, AND I REFUSE TO SEGREGATE MYSELF BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN SAY TO THE OTHER FELLOW, DON'T USE SEGREGATE ME.
I LIVED UNDER SEGREGATION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
I WAS NOT HAPPY THERE BECAUSE I SAW THE BARRIERS THAT HAD BEEN PLACED IN FRONT OF ME.
I DEFY ANYBODY TO TELL ME THAT I CAN'T THINK BECAUSE I AM A FEMALE.
I DEFY ANYBODY TO SAY THAT I CAN'T THINK BECAUSE OF MY AGE.
I'M PROUD OF MY AGE, AND I'VE SAID TO PEOPLE OFF TIME, DON'T CRITICIZE ME BECAUSE GOD HAS BLESSED ME WITH AGE.
I THINK THAT I HAVE BEEN LEFT HERE TO DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEBODY, AND I THINK THAT I'M GONNA BE ABOUT THAT CHORE.
AND I HAVE THEM ALL LAUGHING THAT HE WILL NEVER PUT ME IN A CORNER ANYWHERE.
ALL RIGHT, SO I DO ASK THAT EVERYONE PLEASE STAND, UM, AS WE PREPARE TO SING THE BLACK NATIONAL ANTHEM.
LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING AND WELCOME, UH, MS. MAHOGANY WITH JAZZ BECAUSE ART GROUP, OKAY, LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING.
TAYLOR AND HEAVEN RING WITH THE LET RISE GUYS.
HAS THE ROLL SING SONG FULL OF THE FAITH THAT THE DARK PASTOR HAS TAUGHT US.
SING SONG FULL OF THE HOPE THAT THE PRESENT HAS BROUGHT US FACING THE RISE OF OUR NEW LET US MARCH ON TILL VICTORY IS ONE.
THAT WAS YOU MAY, YOU MAY TAKE YOUR SEATS.
THAT WAS MAHOGANY WITH JAZZ BECAUSE ARTS GROUP GETTING US STARTED THIS MORNING AND SO GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING TO YOU ALL AND WELCOME TO THE JUANITA J CIVIL RIGHTS HOUSE AND MUSEUM.
MY NAME IS CANDACE THOMPSON AND I AM THE BOARD CHAIR OF THE FRIENDS OF JUANITA CRAFT CIVIL RIGHTS HOUSE AND MUSEUM.
AND ON BEHALF OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND OUR PARTNERS WITH THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS AND THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE ARE SO THRILLED AND WE WELCOME YOU HERE THIS MORNING.
OUR THREE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN TIED TOGETHER IN A LABOR OF LOVE AND FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND THIS MORNING YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT IT TOOK FOR US TO GET HERE.
I'D LIKE TO START BY RECOGNIZING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE GATHERED WITH US THIS MORNING.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER JANIE SCHULTZ, UH, CITY MANAGER, TC BROAD.
NEXT COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ADAM BAA, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, MS. VALLETTA LI, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER HONORABLE, UH, DIANE RAGSDALE, COUNCIL MEMBER PAULA BLACKMAN, UH, REPRESENTATIVE
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OF, UH, VINTON, UH, JONES HILL OFFICE.HERE WE HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HE RESENDEZ, AND WE HAVE JUDGE KIM COOKS AND WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, GABE DANELLE WILLIS.
IF THERE ARE ANY OTHERS, UM, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I WILL MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE, UH, GIVE OUR OUR RESPECTS TO YOU AS WELL.
UH, TODAY WE ARE GATHERED TO CELEBRATE A SIGNIFICANT DAY IN THE LIFE OF OUR HISTORY, AND WE ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE A SIGNIFICANT LEADER IN THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY.
IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO REOPEN THIS HISTORIC HOME TO THE PUBLIC AND TO SHARE THIS PLACE WITH THE ENTIRE WORLD.
JUST BY WAY OF CONTEXT, JUANITA JEWEL SHANKS WAS BORN IN ROUND ROCK, TEXAS IN 1902.
WHEN MS. KRAFT WAS VERY YOUNG, HER MOTHER DIED OF TUBERCULOSIS, AND AFTER SHE WAS REFUSED HOSPITAL TREATMENT BASED ON THE COLOR OF HER SKIN, THIS HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON MRS. CRAFT AND WAS PART OF WHAT INSPIRED HER LIFELONG DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY SERVICE ADVOCACY AND ACTIVISM.
DESPITE FINISHING COLLEGE, WHEN MS. KRAFT ARRIVED IN DALLAS IN THE EARLY 1920S, SHE WAS ONLY ABLE TO GET WORK AS A BELL MADE AT THE ADOLPHUS HOTEL DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN.
THE ADOLPHUS IS ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES WHERE MS. CRAFT LIFTED HER VOICE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST WHAT SHE FELT WAS AN INJUSTICE.
THE GIFT SHOP AT THE ADOLPHUS USED TO SELL COMMEMORATIVE POSTCARDS OF THE 1910 ALLEN BROOKS LYNCHING THAT TOOK PLACE ON MAINE AND AKD.
MRS. CRAFT WAS OUTRAGED BY THIS AND WALKED ELEANOR ROOSEVELT, WHO SHE HAD BEFRIENDED AT THE HOTEL TO THE SITE IN 19 AND 32.
MRS. KRAFT DETAILED THE ATROCITY TO MRS. ROOSEVELT, WHO PROMPTLY VOICED HER DISPLEASURE WITH THE MANAGING DIRECTOR, WHO THEN REMOVED THE POSTCARD FROM BEING SOLD AT THE GIFT SHOP.
TWO YEARS LATER, WHEN SHE TOLD THAT SAME MANAGING DIRECTOR SHE HAD TO LEAVE THE BELL MADE STAFF, HE SAID TO HER, JUANITA, YOU DID THE RIGHT THING BY GETTING RID OF THAT APPALLING POSTCARD.
I EXPECT TO SEE YOU IN THE PAPERS SOMEDAY.
AND IT TURNS OUT THAT MANAGING DIRECTOR, MR. ARBY ELEPHANTS FORETOLD OF AN AMAZING CAREER OF ACTIVISM, COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND PUBLIC SERVICE THAT SPANNED OVER 50 YEARS.
MRS. K CRAFT IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ICON, A DALLAS ICON, A TEXAS ICON, AND SHE IS AN AMERICAN ICON.
SOME OF MRS K CRAFT'S MOST SIGNIFICANT WORK CAME AS A MEMBER OF THE NAACP, AN ORGANIZATION THAT SHE JOINED IN 1935.
SHE ORGANIZED 182 LOCAL BRANCHES ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS FROM PAMPA TO EL PASO.
OVER AN 11 YEAR PERIOD WHEN MRS. KRAFT LIVED HERE, HER WALLS WERE ADORNED WITH THE MANY AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS SHE RECEIVED FOR HER YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE.
THE FIRST AWARD SHE RECEIVED WAS IN 1955, AFTER SHE MADE A DONATION OF 3070 $8 AND 38 CENTS TO THE NAACP.
THAT WOULD BE A REALLY NICE DONATION TODAY, BUT IMAGINE GIVEN THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IN 1955, IN 1969, SHE WAS RECOGNIZED WITH A LENS AWARD, WHICH IS STILL GIVEN TODAY.
THE LENS AWARD IS ONE OF THE OLDEST CIVIC HONORS PRESENTED TO INDIVIDUALS IN OUR CITY.
ONE DAY, A VISITOR TO MRS. KRASS HOUSE WAS LOOKING AROUND AND REMARKED, THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL LIVING WALLS.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE THE RESULTS OF THIS MAGNIFICENT RESTORATION, YOU WILL FIND THE LIFE OF MRS. K CRAFT ON THESE WALLS, AND YOU WILL FIND THE STORY OF DALLAS ON THESE WALLS.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE MISTAKENLY SAY THAT DALLAS DIDN'T HAVE A CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, BUT WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THIS MUSEUM, YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT THE MANY DALLAS RESIDENTS FROM ACROSS THE CITY, AND ESPECIALLY HERE IN SOUTH DALLAS WHO STOOD UP AGAINST RACISM AND INJUSTICE.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM BDU, A SOUTH DALLAS.
GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH CANDACE.
UH, ALONG WITH MAYOR JOHNSON, WHO UNFORTUNATELY COULD NOT BE PRESENT TODAY.
I AM HONORED TO WELCOME EACH OF YOU, UH, TO SUNNY SOUTH DALLAS THIS MORNING, ALSO IN HISTORIC QUEEN CITY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE, UM, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AS WELL TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS.
WE HAVE MS. EVA JONES HERE TODAY.
ALSO, I SAW THAT WE HAVE, UM, MS. WILLIE MAY COLEMAN, UH, IN IN ATTENDANCE AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, BUT I'D LIKE TO GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR SOME OF THE LEADERS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN SUNNY SOUTH DALLAS WHO HAVE KEPT PROGRESS GOING.
I REPRESENT DALLAS COUNCIL DISTRICT WHERE WE'VE GATHERED HERE TODAY, AND I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF WHAT'S
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BEING DONE WITH THIS CITY TREASURE.JUST AS IT'S MENTIONED, IT'S BEYOND A CITY TREASURE.
TODAY I'M STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF MS. JUANITA CRAFT WHO SERVED THIS DISTRICT LONG BEFORE I WAS EVEN BORN.
SHE WAS ELECTED TO THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL IN 1975 AT THE AGE OF 73.
MRS. CRAFT WAS ONCE ASKED HOW SHE BECAME INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
SHE REFERRED TO A PERSONAL SLOGAN THAT MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OTHERS CAN RELATE TO.
AND THAT IS, IF I DON'T LIKE WHAT THE OTHER FELLOW IS DOING, I'M GONNA GET UP AND DO IT MYSELF.
WHILE HER TWO TERMS ON COUNCIL ARE SIGNIFICANCE, OUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER PLACE, ANOTHER PLACE WHERE MS. CRAFT MADE HUGE IMPACT WAS THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.
EVERY YEAR FAIR PARK AND THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS WELCOMED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF VISITORS.
AND WE KNOW THAT THE FAIR WAS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE GATHERINGS THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE.
IN 1955, THE FAIR WAS SEGREGATED.
A TRADITION THAT DATED BACK TO THE 1880S.
BLACK DALLASITE WERE ONLY GIVEN ONE DAY TO ATTEND THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS TO ENJOY THEMSELVES WITHOUT THE THREAT OF DISCRIMINATION JUST ONE DAY.
SO IT WAS IN THAT YEAR THAT JUANITA CRAFT AND MEMBERS OF THE NAACP YOUTH COUNCIL ORGANIZED A BOYCOTT FOR THE STATE FAIR TO END THAT YOUNG PEOPLE FI PICKETED THE FAIR HOLDING UP SIGNS THAT REID DON'T SELL YOUR PRIDE FOR A SEGREGATED RIDE.
SHE COINED THE TERM NEGRO APPEASEMENT DAY AND MADE HUGE IMPACT.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT IMPACT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS CARRIED ON TODAY.
CUZ I SEE MANY MEMBERS OF THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS HERE HONORING THE LEGACY.
AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT AND THANK YOU FOR CARRYING HER LEGACY ON TO BE HONORED DURING THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS AS WELL WITH SCHOLARSHIPS, EVEN IN HER NAME, MRS. KRAFT BROUGHT MORE ADULTS AND AND BOARD TO LEAD PROTESTS EACH YEAR FOR EVERY YEAR, UH, ON THAT DECADE, IN THAT DECADE.
AND IT WASN'T UNTIL 1967, UNTIL THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS FULLY, UM, DESEGREGATED AS DR.
MARTIN LUTHER KING FAMOUSLY SAID, THE ARC OF THE MORAL UNIVERSE IS LONG, BUT IT BENDS TOWARDS JUSTICE.
ONE THING THAT'S NOT TALKED ABOUT OFTEN IS JUST AS MENTIONED, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT APPARENTLY DIDN'T MAKE IT TO DALLAS, WHICH IS WRONG.
KING ACTUALLY DID COME HERE ONCE, ONE TIME AND WASN'T WELCOMED VERY, UH, UM, WELCOMING
HE, UH, SPOKE AT SMU AND IN THE HOUSE THAT WE STAND IN FRONT OF TODAY, UH, IS WHERE HE CAME AND HAD DINNER WITH MS. K CRAFT THAT EVENING.
THAT'S RIGHT, CHANGE DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
MRS. KRAFT TAUGHT US THAT IF WE WANT JUSTICE, WE MUST BE PREPARED TO STICK WITH IT FOR THE LONG HAUL.
I WANT TO THANK TWO ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE BEEN WITH THE CITY EVERY STEP OF THE WAY TO HELP MAKE THIS DAY POSSIBLE AND TO HELP US ILLUMINATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MRS. KRAFT TO SO MANY OTHERS.
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS, THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS, AND THE FRIENDS OF JUANITA K CRAFT CIVIL RIGHTS HOUSE FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO PRESERVE MRS. KRAFT'S LEGACY.
CAN WE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE PLEASE? IN ADDITION TO THAT, I MENTIONED THEY WERE PARTNERS WITH THE CITY.
SO I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE CITY STAFF THAT CONTRIBUTED TO MAKING THIS HA UH, HAPPEN AS WELL.
THANK YOU TO OUR OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
THANK YOU TO OUR, UH, LIBRARY DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS, UH, GIVEN A, A, A CONTRIBUTION TO GETTING US TO TODAY.
YOUR DEDICATION TO THIS PROCESS AND YOUR DILIGENCE TO MAKE THIS TASK SYMBOLIZE EVERYTHING THAT IS GREAT ABOUT DALLAS.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE, OH, I'VE ALREADY ACTUALLY SAID THAT PART, SO I'M GONNA GO TO THE NEXT
WE, UH, APPRECIATE ALL THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE FOR THIS RESTORATION, AND WE THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ALL THAT YOU WILL DO TO MAINTAIN THIS HISTORIC, UH, SITE FOR YEARS AHEAD.
WHEN WE JOIN TOGETHER AND PUT OUR MINDS AND OUR TALENTS AND OUR RESOURCES TOGETHER, WE CAN TRULY ACCOMPLISH GREATNESS.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT THIS WILL BE A MAJOR DESTINATION IN OUR CITY AS IT SHOULD BE.
JUANITA JEWEL SHANKS CRAFT TRULY IS A JEWEL OF OUR CITY AND A JEWEL OF SUNNY SOUTH DALLAS.
THIS HOUSE WILL BRING AWARENESS TO THE CONTRIBUTIONS SOUTH DALLAS RESIDENTS HAVE MADE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
I CHALLENGE EACH OF YOU HERE TODAY TO TELL SOMEONE ELSE ABOUT WHAT YOU SEE AND HEAR AND WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED HERE TODAY.
BRING YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS BACK TO WARREN AVENUE.
WHEN VISITORS TRAVEL TO DALLAS.
MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW TO STOP BY THE JUANITA J CRAFT HOUSE AND TO EXPLORE THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT THAT DID COME TO DALLAS.
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR BEING HERE TODAY IN SUNNY SOUTH DALLAS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MANY OF YOU HERE AS WE GATHER FOR FUTURE OCCASIONS.
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THANK YOU MR. BAULA.I HOPE MANY OF YOU WILL TAKE HIM UP ON HIS CHALLENGE TO VISIT THE CRAFT HOUSE ON MANY OCCASIONS.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO HAVE ARRIVED SINCE WE BEGAN.
UH, WE DO HAVE, UM, FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER KEVIN FELDER, WHO'S WITH US.
WE HAVE, UM, PRESIDENT, UH, CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE NAACP, MS. SHARON MIDDLEBROOKS, WHO'S WITH US THIS AFTERNOON.
WE HAVE JUDGE, UH, DOMINIQUE TORRES WILLIAMS WHO'S HERE WITH US, AND WE ALSO HAVE, UM, DR.
HARRY ROBINSON WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM.
ALL RIGHT, SO NOW AT THIS TIME WE WILL HEAR FROM TWO MORE OF OUR PARTNERS FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS.
FIRST WE WILL HEAR FROM LIZ SEIL PERREA, AND THEN WE HAVE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND AFTER LIZ.
AND THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM MARTINE ELISE, FELIPE, DIRECTOR OF OFFICE AND ARTS AND CULTURE.
PERRERA, SERVING AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND TOGETHER WITH OUR CITY MANAGER, TC BROK AND HIS WIFE MRS. MRS. BRON, WHO'S HERE TODAY ON HER BIRTHDAY WEEKEND.
THANK YOU ANDREA FOR BEING HERE.
WE WELCOME YOU TO THE CRAFT HOME.
UPON THE DEATH OF MRS. CRAFT IN 1985, SHE WILLED HER HOME TO THE CITY OF DALLAS TO BE USED AS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS COULD VISIT AND COME AND LEARN HOW TO BECOME A CHANGEMAKER.
SINCE 1994, THIS HOME HAS OPERATED AS A PUBLIC HISTORICAL SITE.
BY 2017 AND 18, THE NUMBER OF VISITORS AND REQUESTS FOR TOURS AT THE CRAFT HOME WAS ON DECLINE.
THE HOUSE HAD A NUMBER OF STRUCTURAL ISSUES, THE FOUNDATION, THE ROOF, THE SIDING, LANDSCAPING AND PLUMBING ALL NEEDED A LITTLE TLC.
WITH THE HELP OF THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMISSIONERS, SPECIFICALLY IN NOTABLY CANNON FLOWERS AND JESSE HORNBUCKLE, A STEERING COMMITTEE WAS FORMED TO ADDRESS THE REPAIRS THAT NEEDED FOR THE HOUSE AND TO ENVISION WHAT A COMPLETE RESTORATION WOULD AND SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
ONE OF THE GREATEST BLESSINGS THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS GOES BACK TO THE STEER STEERING COMMITTEE RAISING THE FUNDS NECESSARY TO COME BACK IN IN A TIMEFRAME TO PAY FOR THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORT.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE EFFORTS AS BEING FUNDAMENTAL.
THE FUNDING FOR THE REPORT CAME VIA GRANT FROM THE COMMUNITY'S FOUNDATION OF TEXAS.
ALSO, THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORT INCLUDES A COMPLETE INVENTORY OF THE HISTORIC MATERIALS AND METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION, SO THAT ANYTHING NEW TO THE HOUSE WILL BEST MATCH AND ENHANCE THE PROJECT RATHER, RATHER THAN DETRACT FROM ITS HISTORY.
FUNDRAISING BACK THEN WAS GEN CAME THROUGH A GENERATION DONATION, EXCUSE ME, GENERATION GENEROUS DONATION FROM THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, THANKS TO DR.
JUST AS MOMENTUM WAS STARTING TO BUILD, YOU MAY REMEMBER AN UNTHINKABLE, AN UNTHINKABLE EVENT OCCURRED, MOTHER NATURE.
IN MAY OF 2019, THE CRAFT HOME SUFFERED A DAMAGING FLOOD AND BUSTED SPRINKLER PIPE IN THE ATTIC, LEAVING MUCH OF THE HOUSE IN RUIN.
NOT ONLY WAS THE HOME DAMAGE, BUT SEVERAL ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN IN THE HOUSE WERE ALSO AFFECTED.
THE DAMAGE REQUIRED THE HOME TO BE GUTTED AND ABATED.
IT WAS A REALLY SAD TIME FOR US FOR THE NEXT YEAR, THE HOUSE SAT MOSTLY DORMANT, AND AS YOU HAVE ALREADY PROBABLY FIGURED OUT, THE PANDEMIC BECAME OUR NEXT CHALLENGE.
WE ARE VERY, VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE PEOPLE COME TO THIS WORK TO HELP US SAVE AND RESTORE THIS BEAUTIFUL AND HISTORIC STRUCTURE.
OF COURSE, OUR LEAD EXTERNAL PARTNERS WHO HAVE BEEN NAMED THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS AND FRIENDS OF JUANITA CRAFT HOME AND MUSEUM, BUT THERE WERE SO MANY OTHERS, SO MANY LIKE YOU.
SO WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR PRESENCE TODAY AND A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF OUR FRIENDS WHO ARE HERE TODAY ON THIS SPECIAL DAY IN THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN CELEBRATING ALL OF YOU.
KATHERINE SEAL, THE HEAD OF THE LANDMARK COMMISSION, AND FORMERLY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PRESERVATION DALLAS, NANCY MCCOY, ARCHITECT AND PARTNER AT QUIMBY MCCOY, WHO IS ONE OF THE LEADING PRACTITIONERS OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION ARCHITECTURE IN DALLAS, JOANNA HAMPTON, THE ARCHITECT AND CURRENT BOARD CHAIR OF PRESERVATION DALLAS, WHO LEADS THE INTERPRETATION PLANNING EFFORTS OF THE CRAFT HOUSING STEERING COMMITTEE, CANON FLOWERS, CHAIR OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE, MCCOY ASSOCIATES, WHO HAS AWARDED THE CONTRACT TO DESIGN THIS RESTORATION
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PLAN.AND NEVO CONSTRUCTION, WHO WAS AWARDED THE CONTRACT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, AND THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR KEEPING THIS PROJECT ON TRACK AND FOR ALL THE CARE YOU HAVE TAKEN IN EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
WOULD YOU JOIN ME IN THANKING OUR STAFF AT THE CITY OF DALLAS AND ONCE AGAIN, OUR WELCOMING COMMITTEE WHO INCLUDES DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TO WELCOME US TODAY, UM, TO THE CRAFT HOME.
I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AND WE UNDERSTAND THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE AS STEWARDS OF THIS BUILDING AND THE HISTORY THAT IS HOUSED WITHIN IT AND IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW THAT WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS ALONE.
AND WE ARE GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL THAT SO MANY PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY REALIZE THE NEED TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE JUANITA J CRAFT CIVIL RIGHTS HOUSE AND MUSEUM.
SUCH A BLESSING TO BE HERE AMONG CENTRAL WONDERFUL TURNOUT.
I SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR ART AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE HERE IN PRESENT.
I WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE YOU BY NAME, BUT I WILL GIVE YOU THE MOMENT TO STAND OR WAVE WHEREVER YOU ARE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I'M REALLY, REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU EACH WILL SEE INSIDE THE CRAFT HOUSE AND TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PART OF THE SPECTACULAR EXHIBIT ON DISPLAY.
DURING THE LIFETIME OF MRS. JUANITA J CRAFT, HER HOUSE SERVED AS A HOME BASE FOR YOUNG ACTIVISTS STRIVING TO FIND THEIR PLACE IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLE.
THE EXHIBIT CONTINUES HER LEGACY, DOCUMENTING MRS. KRAFT'S HISTORY IN HOPES OF INSPIRING CONTEMPORARY HOPE, CIVIC TRANSFORMATION TOWARDS A MORE JUST AN EQUAL WORLD VISITORS, UH, BEGINNING WITH YOUTH TO THIS MUSEUM WILL FIND THAT IT NARRATES THE LIFE AND WORK OF MRS. KRAFT, WHO LED THE CHARGE FOR EQUAL RIGHTS AND DIGNITY FOR BLACK AMERICANS, NOT ONLY HERE IN DALLAS, BUT ACROSS TEXAS AND THROUGHOUT THE NATION.
THE GALLERIES INSIDE COVER EIGHT DECADES.
AND EXPLORE HOW MRS. CRAFT TOOK THE FIGHT FROM THE STREETS TO THE COURT'S LEADING PROTESTS TO DESEGREGATE PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS AS WELL AS HER F FOUR MENTIONED WORK WITH THE NAACP AND ON DALLAS CITY COUNCIL, THERE ARE MULTIPLE GALLERIES WITH EXHIBITS HIGHLIGHTING MRS. CRAFT'S FAMILY, HER EDUCATION, HER WORK AT THE AOL HOTEL, AND THE IMPACT SHE HAD ON YOUNG PEOPLE.
IN ADDITION, YOU'LL FIND THERE ARE GALLERIES DESIGNED TO EDUCATE VISITORS ON ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN TEXAS, THE HISTORY OF JUNETEENTH, THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM, AND THE RISE OF THE KU KLUX KLAN.
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THEIR COLLABORATION ON OBJECT LOANS AND THE IMAGES YOU'LL FIND FROM THE JUANITA CRAFT COLLECTION THAT ARE ON DISPLAY.
THIS EXHIBITION WAS RESEARCHED, CURATED, AND WRITTEN BY LINDSEY RICHARDSON, KATE MCBRIDE, ANDY CHEN, AND MARISSA E C DEBACA.
THE THE CURATORS HAVE NOTED THE VALUABLE HISTORICAL CONTEXT PROVIDED BY DONALD PAYTON CHANDLER VAUGHN OF THE JUANITA CRAFT FOUNDATION, THE HONORABLE DIANE RAGSDALE, MS. PATRICIA PEREZ, AND THE HONORABLE HARRIET EARHART.
THE EXHIBITION WAS DESIGNED BY ASYMMETRIC STUDIO IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AND OBJECT CONSERVATION FOR ALL THE OBJECTS THAT YOU'LL INTERACT WITH.
INSIDE WAS HANDLED BY LAGAN, KIMBERLY CROZIER, MITCH KATHLEEN KEEFER, AND CHRISTIANA JAN.
FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK MEMBERS OF OUR OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE TEAM WHO'VE MADE IT THEIR MISSION TO GET THIS PROJECT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
THANK YOU TO JOHN SPRIGGS, NIKKI CHRISTMAS, AND KENDALL FERGUSON.
YOUR VISION AND YOUR DETERMINATION HAVE TRULY BEEN THE HEART OF BOTH THE RESTORATION AND THE RELEVANT CULTURAL CENTER THAT'S BEEN CREATED HERE.
WE ARE SO VERY GRATEFUL THAT THIS FACILITY HAS BEEN REESTABLISHED.
AS A WORKING PART OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, WE'LL NEED YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN THE DAYS, MONTHS, AND YEARS TO COME.
SO PLEASE, UM, AS COUNCILMAN SAID, PLEASE CONTINUE TO VISIT, BRING YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR COUSINS AND MAKE THIS, MAKE THESE WALLS STAY ALIVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
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I WAS BORN BY THE RIVER IN A LITTLE SINCE THAT RIVER I'VE BEEN RUNNING.I'M BEEN A LONG, I FALL MOVIE AND I FALL.
SOMEBODY KEEPS TELLING YOU, OH, YES, IT WE, WHEN I GO TO MY BROTHER, OH, AND I SAY, BROTHER, WON'T YOU HELP ME, PLEASE? OH, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME I ASK WAS I FELL.
BUT NOW I KNOW I'M, ITS A ALL RIGHT.
OH, THANK YOU MAHOGANY FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL SELECTION THAT, UH, YES, YES, YES, YES.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY, UH, DALLAS AND EVERYONE WHO HAS WORKED SO VERY HARD ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A, A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, UH, AS THE CHAIR OF THE FRIENDS OF JUANITA CRAFT CIVIL RIGHTS HOUSE AND MUSEUM, UH, TO PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, PUBLICLY THANK OUR FRIENDS, UH, OUR FRIENDS GROUP, AND ALSO TO THANK OUR STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO INITIATED, UH, THIS GREAT WORK.
UH, SO THIS IS NOT THE END, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER BEGINNING.
SO, BUT YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
UH, BUT THEN ALSO I'D LIKE TO PUBLICLY THANK OUR PARTNER, UH, JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS, AND SO THAT WHEN THE JUNIOR LEAGUE SIGNS UP TO HELP, AMEN.
THEY DON'T SIT ON THE SIDE, THEY JUMP IN ALL THE WAY AND WITH YOU.
AND WE ARE SO, WE HAVE BEEN SO GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT, THE CONTINUED SUPPORT THAT THE LADIES FROM THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS, AND AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME TO THE PODIUM THEIR PRESIDENT, EMILY SOMERVILLE CABREA.
GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CANDACE.
SINCE 1922, THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS HAS STOOD AS AN ORGANIZATION OF WOMEN COMMITTED TO PROMOTING VOLUNTEERISM, DEVELOPING THE POTENTIAL OF WOMEN, AND IMPROVING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE EFFECTIVE ACTION AND LEADERSHIP OF TRAINED VOLUNTEERS.
OUR LEAGUE IS THE SECOND LARGEST LEAGUE IN THE WORLD AND THE LARGEST AND OLDEST TRAINING ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN IN DALLAS.
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ON MAY 4TH, 2022, WE CELEBRATED OUR HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY.PREPARATION FOR THIS MILESTONE BEGAN IN 2016 WITH THE FORMATION OF A CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE, WHICH PLANNED A SERIES OF EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE STATE.
ONE OF THE COMMITTEE'S PRIORITIES WAS TO IDENTIFY A SPECIAL PROJECT THAT WOULD MARK THIS OCCASION AND INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF DALLASITE.
OUR LEADERS SET A PROJECT THAT WOULD ALIGN WITH THE LEE'S MISSION, HAVE A LASTING POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR CITY, SERVE EVERY MEMBER OF THE DALLAS COMMUNITY, AND INSPIRE CIVIC LEADERSHIP INTO THE NEXT CENTURY.
AFTER REVIEWING COUNTLESS PROJECT PROPOSALS, THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY SELECTED THE RESTORATION OF THE JUANITA J CRAFT CIVIL RIGHTS HOUSE TO OUR MEMBERS.
RESTORING AND OPENING MIS CRAFT'S HOME WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PARTNER IN PRESERVING HER LEGACY IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY.
AND TO HELP REINFORCE THE SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL IDEA THAT AN ORDINARY WOMAN CAN AFFECT EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE.
SHE WAS A VISIONARY WHO DESCRIBED HERSELF AS A PROFESSIONAL VOLUNTEER, SOMETHING OUR MEMBERS CAN CERTAINLY RELATE TO.
HER TIRELESS DEDICATION TO MAKING DALLAS AN INCLUSIVE CITY FOR EVERY ONE OF ITS RESIDENTS, CONTINUES TO INSPIRE US AND REFLECT OUR VALUES OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.
BEYOND SUPPORTING THE RESTORATION OF HER HOME, THE LEAGUE HAS BEEN AND REMAINS COMMITTED TO PRESERVING MITS CRAFT LEGACY.
IN SEPTEMBER, 2021, WE SHOWCASED HER MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO ADVANCING CIVIL RIGHTS IN OUR CENTENNIAL EXHIBIT IN THE HALL OF STATE DURING THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, WHICH WELCOMED MORE THAN 2.2 MILLION VISITORS LEFT THAT YEAR.
THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF HER LIFE AND LEGACY SINCE HER PASSING IN 1985, LAST FEBRUARY ON WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN MS. K CRAFT'S 120TH BIRTHDAY, WE PARTNERED WITH DALLAS MARY ERIC JOHNSON, THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND THE FRIENDS OF THE JUANITA CRAFT CIVIL RIGHTS HOUSE IN MUSEUM TO ESTABLISH FEBRUARY 9TH AS JUANITA K CRAFT DAY.
MANY OF YOU JOINED US FOR THAT MOMENT AS CELEBRATION.
THIS YEAR, THE JUANITA K CRAFT HOUSE BECAME A SIGNATURE PROJECT OF OUR LEAGUE, THROUGH WHICH WE WILL PROVIDE VOLUNTEERS DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING THE HOUSE FOR YEARS TO COME IN THIS PAST SEPTEMBER, WE PARTNERED WITH THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS AND DALLAS, I S D, TO DISTRIBUTE A COMMEMORATIVE JUANITA J CRAFT COLORING BOOK TO MORE THAN 10004TH GRADE STUDENTS ACROSS THE CITY.
WE'LL ALSO CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE MAYOR, CITY, AND FRIENDS OF JUANITA CRAFT HOUSE AND MUSEUM TOWARDS THE NATIONAL HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS THAT WILL TAKE THE HOUSE TO A NEW LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE AND NATIONAL PROMINENCE.
WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE THIS PROJECT AS PART OF OUR LEAGUE'S HISTORY, AND JOINING THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, FRIENDS OF JUANITA CRAFT AND FUNDERS ON THIS RESTORATION PROJECT REFLECTS THE SPIRIT OF OUR MISSION TO BUILD A BETTER DALLAS.
SO, ON BEHALF OF THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR CITY OF LEADERS, INCLUDING MAYOR ERIC JOHNSON, COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM BAA, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS GADEN EL WILLIS, AND PAULA BLACKMAN, WHO ARE SUSTAINING MEMBERS OF OUR LEAGUE, OUR COMMITTEE, UH, CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS, MARGO GOODWIN AND ANDREA CHI, AS WELL AS OTHER MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMITTEE AND THE LEAGUE WHO ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
THEY'RE KAREN SCHER, LAURA LOWINGER, SARAH JACKSON, SUSANNA CARILLO, ABBY MURPHY, JASMINE PRICE, LAYLA GULLY, AND JENNIFER SCRIPPS.
SINCE ADOPTING THE CRAFT HOUSE AS OUR CENTENNIAL PROJECT, THESE WOMEN BUILT A COALITION OF SUPPORTERS WHO, ALONG WITH THE CITY AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, GAVE MORE THAN $1.4 MILLION TO RESTORE MS. KRAFT'S HOME AS YOU SEE IT TODAY.
I'D LIKE TO SPECIFICALLY THANK THE FOLLOWING DONORS WHO ARE AMONG THE FIRST TO ANSWER THE CALL IN THE INITIAL MONTHS OF OUR ENGAGEMENT, THE EUGENE MCDERMOTT FOUNDATION, HOZ ALL FOUNDATION, MAKE IT COUNT.
THE ADDIE FOUNDATION, STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, THE CONSTANTIN FOUNDATION, THE FUND FOR ARTS AND CULTURE AT COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION OF TEXAS, THE SUMMER LEE FOUNDATION, HILLCREST FOUNDATION, AND THE CREST FOUNDATION.
WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP.
I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE JOINED US TODAY, UM, AND THANK YOU FOR HELPING US MAKE THIS SPECIAL PROJECT HAPPEN.
AS I MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO, ONE OF THE REASONS THIS PROJECT WAS SELECTED FOR OUR CENTENNIAL PROJECT WAS OUR DEEP APPRECIATION FOR HOW MS. CRAFT EXEMPLIFIED TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP.
SHE HAD AN EXTENSIVE TRACK RECORD FOR BUILDING LEADERS, INCLUDING THE CRAFT KIDS WHO YOU'LL HILL FROM SHORTLY.
WHILE OUR LEAGUE IS NEARING THE END OF OUR HUNDRED AND FIRST YEAR, WE ARE ONLY BEGINNING OUR SECOND CENTURY OF SERVICE TO DALLAS.
AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, WE ASPIRE TO BE LIKE MS. CRAFT, TRANSFORMATIONAL, IMPACTFUL LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HER LIFE SHOWS US THAT ONE PASSIONATE WOMAN CAN CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY, AND EVEN DECADES AFTER HER PASSING INSPIRES SERVICE, PARTNERSHIP, AND IMPACT.
[00:35:01]
IT HAS BEEN OUR HONOR TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU TO BRING THIS VISION TO LIFE AND TO RECOGNIZE HER LIFE AND WORK.AND TO YOU AND ALL THE LADIES OF JUNIOR LEAGUE DALLAS.
THIS HAS BEEN AN AMAZING JOURNEY TOGETHER.
KRAFT HELPED TO ORGANIZE THE DALLAS YOUTH COUNCIL, WHICH WOULD BECOME THE MODEL FOR YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS IN NAACP CHAPTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
THE YOUNG ADULTS WHO WERE MEMBERS OF THE DALLAS YOUTH COUNCIL WERE CALLED K CRAFT KIDS.
YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK OF THE K CRAFT KIDS WHO STAGED THE BOYCOTT OF THE STATE FAIR TO DRAW ATTENTION TO DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.
WE ARE TRULY BLESSED TO HAVE SOME OF THE K CRAFT KIDS HERE WITH US TODAY, WHO KNEW AND WORKED WITH MRS. CRAFT.
TWO OF THEM WILL SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH US AT THIS TIME, BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MORE CRAFT KIDS OUT THERE, AND WE WANT TO FULLY ENGAGE WITH YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, MS. PATRICIA PEREZ TO PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM, AND SHE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY THE HONORABLE DIANE RAGSDALE.
WE GOT A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR THIS, DIDN'T WE? IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL DAY.
I'D JUST LIKE TO TALK ABOUT MRS. CRAFT.
UM, I FIRST MET HER ON, UM, I ALWAYS CRY.
I FIRST MET HER ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER THE SECOND OF 19 AND 65.
I HAD MOVED TO DALLAS TO LIVE WITH MY MOTHER'S BROTHER AND HIS WIFE.
UM, MY AUNT RUBY, WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF MRS. KRAFT.
SHE HAD TAKEN, UH, MILITARY CLASSES WITH MRS. KRAFT AND ON THE WAY FROM LOVEFIELD, WE CAME HERE FIRST SHE WANTED US TO MEET MRS. CRAFT.
WE LIVED TAKE A LEFT ON ATLANTA, AND THEN A LEFT ON BURGER, THREE BLOCKS OVER.
AND SO WE CAME TO MEET MRS. CRAFT.
BUT I JUST HAVE TO TELL YOU, WE'VE MADE THIS PLACE INTO A BEAUTIFUL MUSEUM.
BUT THE MAGIC HAPPENED IN THE LITTLE HOUSE.
THE LITTLE HOUSE IS WHERE WE HAD ALL OF OUR NAACP YOUTH COUNCIL MEETINGS.
IT'S WHERE WE PLANNED OUR TRIPS TO ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
IT'S WHERE WE PLANNED ALL OF OUR CANDY DRIVES.
IT'S WHERE WE PLANNED HOW TO SECRETE ALL THIS MONEY FROM OUR COMMUNITY TO DO WHAT SHE NEEDED FOR US TO DO.
THE LITTLE HOUSE IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENED, AND I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THIS.
MY FIRST IMPRESSION OF MS. CRAFT IS THE IMPRESSION I'VE KEPT OF HER ALL OF MY LIFE, JUST THIS POWERFUL, ELEGANT WOMAN WHO WANTED THE WORLD TO BE BETTER.
SHE IMBUED US WITH THAT SPIRIT.
SHE MADE US KNOW THAT IT COULD BE BETTER.
MRS. KRAFT MADE US FEEL POWERFUL IN A TIME WHEN PEOPLE CONSPIRED TO MAKE US FEEL POWERLESS.
AND THAT IS WHAT I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HER.
I AM SO GLAD THAT THIS HOUSE IS FINISHED TODAY.
I TOOK A LIFT TO WHERE I USED TO LIVE AND WALKED THE PATH THAT I USED TO WALK TO THIS HOUSE.
IT WAS SO EMPOWERING THE SAME WAY I FELT EMPOWERED AS A 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, AND 17 YEAR OLD WALKING TO THIS HOUSE.
EMPOWERED AS I FELT RIDING THOSE BUSES TO THE CONVENTIONS BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT WE WERE DOING SOMETHING SPECIAL.
AND I AM SO GLAD THIS HOUSE IS OPEN, AND I HOPE THAT IT GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IN THIS ERA WHAT IT GAVE TO THE COMMUNITY IN MY ERA.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING, AND I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY THAT BEAUTIFUL HOUSE.
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GOOD MORNING.FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO THANK GOD FOR THIS WONDERFUL DAY.
I MEAN, THE WEATHER IS WONDERFUL AND, AND REALLY THE CROWD, THE ACTUAL EVENT, ALL OF WHICH IS SO VERY BEAUTIFUL.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN HELPING US TO RESTORE AND PROTECT THE JUANITA CRAFT CIVIL RIGHTS HOUSE AND HER LEGACY FOR FANNIE LOU HAMER SAID, NEVER TO FORGET WHERE WE CAME FROM AND ALWAYS PRAISE THE BRIDGES THAT CARRIED US OVER.
TODAY WE HONOR AND CELEBRATE MRS. KRAFT'S LEGACY.
IN THE EARLY FORTIES, MRS. KRAFT STARTED ORGANIZING NAACP YOUTH COUNCILS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS TO FIGHT AGAINST JIM CROW AND WHITE SUPREMACY.
BECAUSE OF THE NAACP YOUTH COUNCIL ESTABLISHED BY MRS. KRAFT, I WAS INTRODUCED TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
AT AGE 11, MRS. KRAFT'S HOME SERVED AS A CIVIL RIGHTS TRAINING GROUND FOR HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS.
EVERY SATURDAY MORNING, PARENTS WOULD DROP OFF THEIR CHILDREN AT MRS. K CRAFT'S HOME FOR LESSONS AND CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE, VOTER REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION LESSONS IN PROTESTING.
AND WE ALSO WOULD STUDY OUR HISTORY AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, AND TRAVELED TO THE NAACP CONVENTIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
UNLESS WE FORGET THIS WAS DURING JIM CROW, WE WERE TAUGHT LESSONS AND SELF-RELIANCE, HOW TO TAKE CARE OF SELF, SUCH AS CREATING A COMMUNITY GARDEN AND CANNING THE FOODS.
OF COURSE, I WAS NOT A PART OF THAT
MRS. KRAFT ALWAYS SAID, I HAD NO CHILDREN.
SO I ADOPTED THE WORLD, AND I WAS ONE OF THOSE CHILDREN.
I WAS A CHILD WHOM SHE DISCIPLINED A CHILD WHOM SHE ENCOURAGED AND MOTIVATED A CHILD TO WHOM SHE PROVIDED GUIDANCE.
MS. KRAFT RECOGNIZED THAT STUDENTS ALWAYS HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF MOST MAJOR SOCIAL MOVEMENTS FROM THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS OF THE 1960S TO THE ANTI APARTHEID MOVEMENT.
LET US MAKE SURE, LET US MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE PROGRAMMING THAT REFLECTS HER LEGACY AS A FEMALE ORGANIZER AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVIST.
AS WE RECLAIM AND PROTECT THE ONE METER CRAFT LEGACY, LET US MAKE SURE THAT OUR YOUTH ARE IN THE FOREFRONT, JUST AS MRS. KRAFT WOULD'VE WANTED.
AND WOULDN'T WE ALL BE SO LUCKY TO HAVE A MISS JUANITA CRAFT IN OUR LIVES? AH, YEAH.
THANK YOU, MS. PEREZ AND MISS RELLE FOR SHARING YOUR MEMORIES WITH US.
I'D LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT MRS. KRA WAS A PROPHET IN SEEING INTO THE FUTURE OF WHAT WE COULD BE.
AND ALTHOUGH SHE DID NOT HAVE ANY CHILDREN, SHE PLANTED SEEDS OF CHANGE AND ACTIVISM WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEY HAVE BORN GREAT FRUIT IN THIS FAIR CITY AND IN THROUGHOUT THIS NATION.
BEFORE WE ADJOURN FOR OUR, UH, BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I DO WANNA SAY A SPECIAL WORD OF THANKS, UH, TO OUR FRIENDS AT THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, WHO HAVE BEEN WITH US THIS ENTIRE TIME, THE ENTIRE WAY.
AND, UM, AND, AND GINA AND NALINE, YOU KNOW, WHO PICK UP THE PHONE EVERY TIME I CALL OR TEXT AND EMAIL.
UM, AND HAVE BEEN A GREAT SUPPORT THIS WHOLE ENTIRE TIME.
ALSO, WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS AND RECOGNITION TO, UM, OUR FORMER DIRECTOR OF ARTS AND CULTURE, MS. JENNIFER SCRIPPS, YOU
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KNOW, UH, AND BECAUSE OF JENNIFER, WHO ALSO WAS A VISIONARY AND WHO ALSO PLANTED SEEDS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HERE TODAY, SO THANK YOU, JENNIFER.SO
IT'S JUST LIKE HER HUMBLE LEADERSHIP NATURE TO ONLY ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THOSE ELSE.
BUT IF WE HAVE HEARD TODAY, THIS HAS TOOK A LOT OF CORRALLING, THIS HAS TAKEN A LOT OF ORGANIZING, AND THIS BEAUTIFUL EVENT WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN PLACE WITHOUT THE LEADERSHIP AND THE, UH, PERSEVERANCE OF CANDACE THOMPSON.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION.
WHAT CAN WE SAY WE GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS, RIGHT?
SO, UM, AND ALSO, UH, WE HAVE A SOUTHERN DALLAS LINK WHO IS PROVIDING OUR SHUTTLE SERVICE.
UH, THANK YOU TO THE STATE FAIR, TEXAS WHO'VE SPONSORED THAT.
UM, IF YOUR CARD IS AT THE STATE FAIR AND YOU SIGNED UP FOR A PERSONALIZED TOUR TODAY, WE ARE SUGGESTING THAT YOU GET YOUR VEHICLE AND THEN COME BACK.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE LOT ON LAMER AND WARREN AND THE LAST SHUTTLE.
I NEED Y'ALL TO HEAR ME
YOU KNOW, THE LAST SHUTTLE LEAVES HERE AT 1245.
THERE MAY BE A GRACE OF 1250, BUT I CAN'T PROMISE YOU THAT.
SO, UM, BUT AFTER THE RE THE RIBBON CUTTING, WE WILL HAVE A, A RECEPTION AND THE HOUSE WILL BE OPEN FOR VIEWING.
UM, BUT THESE WILL NOT BE TOURS, SO YOU'LL JUST BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE HOUSE.
AND SO, UH, SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
THERE WILL BE A LIMITED NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS ALLOWED IN THE HOUSE AT ONE TIME, YOU KNOW, SO THIS IS A HOUSE, Y'ALL, SO WE NOT REMEMBER.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE CAPACITY, BUT YOU KNOW, ABOUT 15, 20 PEOPLE AT A TIME, YOU KNOW, SO WE, WE GET OVER THAT NUMBER.
WE WILL HAVE TO TELL YOU, JUST WAIT CUZ SOMEBODY ELSE IS GONNA BE LEAVING OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE.
ALL RIGHT? AND SO WE DO HAVE A NEXT AVAILABLE TOUR.
IF YOU HAVE NOT, UM, YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN SIGN UP, YOU KNOW, AT 3:00 PM AND AFTER THE RIBBON CUTTING, PLEASE ENJOY THE RECEPTION IN THE MEMORIAL GARDEN THAT WE HAVE HERE.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ADOLPHUS HOTEL FOR THE BEAUTIFUL CENTERPIECES THAT WERE DONATED.
AND AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE OUR RIBBON CUTTING, FOLLOWED BY A FEW PICTURES HERE ON THE STEP.
AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE, AND WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR RIBBON CUTTING.
I HAPPEN TO BE OF A, I AM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.
I HAPPEN TO BE OF A DARKER HUE THAN SOME OTHER AMERICANS.
I DON'T BELIEVE IN SEGREGATION AND I REFUSE TO SEGREGATE MYSELF BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN SAY TO THE OTHER FELLOW, DON'T USE SEGREGATE ME.
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SEGREGATION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.I WAS NOT HAPPY THERE BECAUSE I SAW THE BARRIERS THAT HAD BEEN PLACED IN FRONT OF ME.
I DEFY ANYBODY TO TELL ME THAT I CAN'T THINK BECAUSE I AM A FEMALE.
I CAN'T THINK BECAUSE OF MY AGE.
AND I'VE SAID TO PEOPLE OFF TIME, DON'T CRITICIZE ME BECAUSE GOD HAS BLESSED ME WITH AGE.
I THINK THAT I HAVE BEEN LEFT HERE TO DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEBODY, AND I THINK THAT I'M GONNA BE ABOUT THAT CHORE.
AND I HAVE THEM ALL LAUGHING THAT YOU WILL NEVER PUT ME IN A CORNER ANYWHERE.
I WOULD BUILD MYSELF A ROUND ROOM FIRST, SO THERE WOULD BE NO KONAS.
AS I SAID EARLIER IN THIS INTERVIEW, I'VE ALWAYS ACCEPTED.