KAAM finally getting serious

The Kansas African American Museum took a positive step forward last week, electing Sen. Carolyn McGinn, R-Sedgwick, as its interim president and vowing to recruit committed board members and get busy on its $29.5 million capital campaign. As our editorial Wednesday noted, the board members and the museum’s executive director, Eric Key, have inspired little confidence during the past year in their ability raise the money needed to build a new museum and secure a collection of Gordon Parks photographs. Last week’s actions signaled that they are finally getting serious.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

5 Comments

  1. writerdog
    Posted July 16, 2006 at 5:50 am | Permalink

    I keep meaning to go to this museum, though I am not Black in a real sense it to is a part of my history.Many of the struggles, achievements and actions of the Black people effected my life today as well as hundreds of years ago. Both for the good and bad, much like this : “ If I meet you and bend and kiss your cheek, I am then a part of your history. Likewise, if I meet you and bend and slap your cheek I then too am a part of your history“.

    We often have a different take on the same subjects based on our personal experiences, exposure and point of view.

  2. Joe Williams
    Posted July 16, 2006 at 1:47 pm | Permalink

    That’s quite the sum to raise for the museum. Although they can do it with the right leadership. They will have to go across the USA to raise it. Probably a great success story about raising money for a Wichita facility is present day WSU.

    The story behind the guy of Fairmount College who was determine to make it a success went all across the nation soliciting funds and donations of books for the libary and he got it done. If it weren’t for him, WSU wouldn’t exist.

    Carolyn McGinn could do that. Not only as an admire person in our community with legitimacy in the political offices that she held, but she can cross over to the white community to help in the fund raising also.

    The African American Museum is not just for blacks, it’s for everybody to learn and charish the contribution that the African American community has contributed to our society.

  3. Ian Santiago
    Posted July 16, 2006 at 1:53 pm | Permalink

    Yes Joe, you are right, negroes have done so much to “contribute” to our state, our country and the entire freaking world!

    BTW, can we have a HOLOHOAX museum in Kansas too, PLEEEEEEEASE???

    Viva La Raza Blanco!!!

  4. James
    Posted July 16, 2006 at 4:13 pm | Permalink

    They had better start getting serious!!Obviously, Key isn’t the man for the job! Shoulda been able to figure that out, in light of the inability to mount any type of program to raise funds, for the organization that, was paying his salary!

    Of course, travel expense was excessive. Sure, that was an accident.

    Now, he’s signed a contract, with an architect, that no one else knows about, for design plans that are now obsolete. See Sundays “IGGLE.”

    It just goes on and on!! Where, are the Responsible, Competant People hiding???

  5. Roscoe
    Posted July 16, 2006 at 11:39 pm | Permalink

    It would be a travesty if Wichita loses the collection of Gordon Parks photos.

    Eric Key has done nothing but offer double speak and excuses. He needs to go immediately.