The Washington Foundation Bi-Monthly May/June 2019 Newsleter

DR. JAMES W. WASHINGTON JR. & MRS. JANIE ROGELLA WASHINGTON FOUNDATION The Washington Foundation • PO Box 22952 • Seattle WA 98122

James Washington Fountain of Triumph

BEACON HILL HUB is friends with The Washington Foundation .

Friends create a Brighter Future for ALL!

Connecting people and building strong communities Creating a neighborhood presence to mobilize assets and meet community needs

In memory of Mrs. Janie Rogella Washington . . . .

The Washington Foundation wishes a very Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers, Foster Care parents and fathers who have served as single parents.

For Information, questions, comments, and contributions contact Dr. James W. Washington Jr & Mrs. Janie Rogella Washington Foundation (The Washington Foundation) 1816 26th Avenue P PO Box 22952 P Seattle WA 98122 206 P 709-4241 P jwwfoundation@gmail.com P www.jameswashingtonculturalcenter.org Facebook P James and Janie Washington Cultural Center

OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER ! KEITH W ILLIAMS, FLYRIGHT PRODUCTIONS

CULTURAL ARTS

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COMMUNITY & CREATIVITY

NEWS & INFORMATION FROM THE FOUNDATION BOARD Volume 2

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Issue No. 2

P May/June 2019

Thoughts from Rev. Dr. LaVerne C. Hall, Executive Director . . . . . . .

May is the month that mothers are recognized and celebrated around the globe. And so it is that the Washington Foundation recognizes and celebrates Mrs. Janie Rogella Washington.: In recognition of her love for her husband and her contributions to the Dr. James W. Washington Jr and Mrs. Janie Rogella Washington Foundation, excerpts from her 1975 writings are included here. Some time in the near future, the full contents of her writing will be published, with a preface by as yet an unnamed Artist-in-Residence.

It is a fascinating writing that she did as part of a class assignment in 1975 at Seattle Central Community College. The class was Psychology 120 and the instructor was Dr. Boyd W. Aigner, who gave her a grade of “B” and noted on the front of the typewritten pages, “You have kept your life together quite well - and you are a lovely person.”.

“I never did go back home to live. I went home each year never told or any of my family because I was just 20 years old at that time so I worked things out moved to Little Rock, Arkansas there I stayed. I did feel a little lonely from being away from any of my family, but every strangers and still friends.

I worked there until I met my husband, then we lived there two years, then moved to Bremerton, Washington where I lived and worked in the Navy yard. Then moved to Seattle, where I still am. I began to work at Rhodes department store for two years. I began to go to school at Broadway Edison taking typing, English, some math. Some short hand and I went to work at he public health hospital as a ward clerk. Then started to school taking practical nurse course. Then transferred to the nursing department, there is where I have been for the last 20 years or more.”

On behalf of the Dr. James W. Washington Jr and Mrs. Janie Rogella Washington Foundation, thanks so very much for the grand, great and glorious contributions you gave during your life with James w. Washington, Jr. You are very much a part of his success and our work as the Washington Foundation.

Thank you James & Janie . . . . We Love you!

The Washington Foundation is ready for ONE Carousel of an adventure. We invite you to ride with us and to invite your friends to join us. We envision everyday as a day to celebrate what James and Janie entrusted to us to care for, to share, and to grow and we want you to be a part of the celebration.

My 2019 Director’s theme is simply ONE. The goal is outreach to ONE Million with response from ONE Million: dollars, friends, in-kind, and etc. We will begin by asking each of our friends to contribute $1.00 and to invite your circle of friends to contribute $1.00 each. This may seem ambitious; but we believe it is achievable. We are ready to give it a try.

How will we use ONE Million Dollars? The Washington house was 100 years old August 2018 and there is lots of work that needs to be done: Interior and exterior improvements, upgrading, restoration, including the detached studio and storage shed, restoration of the Fountain of Triumph, and the landscaping and greenhouse.

Thanks so very much to those who have already jumped on board the Carousel . . . Help us fill the page before November 2019.

Join the Carousel of ONEs. . . to let us add your name . . .

Rev. Dr. LaVerne C. Hall, Exec, Dir.; Mrs. Elma Horton, Board Chair; Jessie Attri ! Gloria & Edwin Morris; Paris Williams ! Jim Yearby; Rosemary Young ! Glen Youngblood; Mr. Anon; Patricia & Jerome Butler; Victor & Victoria Butler; Nancy Chang; Brenda Charles Edwards; Minnie Collins; Marjorie Cottoms; Cutie Kitten; Pastor Micah Daniel; Esther Ervin & Al Doggett; Lindsey Engh; Zane Fitch & Sharon Rose Fitch; Winston Fitch & Victor Fitch; George & Christine Foster; Kieran & Paige Foster; LaWayne Charles Foster; Erica Hale; Sadiqua Iman; Yvonne Jenkins; Carmen Jones; Outlaw Kandyce; Rev. Dr. Victor C. Langford III; Harold Lincoln; Gail Marino; Tamika Moseley; Maura Salamah O’Brien; Guy Punt; Merlin Rainwater; Annie Riggins; Sara Semitic; Rev. Dr. Linda Smith; Robert Stevens; Lana Sunberg; Callie Vallall; Linda Watson; Annie Williams; Clara Williams; Freddie Williams; Gracie Williams; Lamar Williams; Gazelle Williams; Lee Wright; Virginia Wyman.

Special Thanks Lana S. and Gail M. for riding the Carousel with us.

A BIG PIECE OF HISTORY

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eginning in the early 1960s, Northwest Insured Tree provided James and Janie with landscaping for the yard and the garden.

Washington was a barterer and often traded his art for services. Shown here is George Clubine, the son of the first gardener, John.

George is sharing a mortar and pestle that Dr. Washington had traded with his dad for landscaping services. This piece of sculptured art weighs more than 60 pounds and is probably more than 30 years old. Thanks George for sharing one of your dad’s prized possessions.

The yard, as they say, “back in the day,” was adorned with more than 100 plants, herbs, shrubbery, and trees.

Some are listed here: Apple, Pear, Fig, Pussy Willow, Pine, Holly, and Yew trees, Azalea, Baker’s Rake, Bird of Paradise, Camellia, Candy Tuft, Clematis, Climbing Roses, Colorado Blue Spruce, Cottoneaster, Dogwood, Euyamus, Fushia, Heather, Hemlock, Holly, Hydrangea, Ice Berg, Ivy, Jade, Juniper, Laurel & Holly Hedges, Lilac, Lily of the Valley, Magnolia, Ornamental Grass, Peony, Photinia, Prized Black Bamboo, Pyracantha, Rhodies, Roses, Sassafras, Scilia, Scotchbrum, Spyria, St. John’s Wort, Sword Ferns, Wild Flowers, and Winter Daphne.

There is even a small Japanese garden with a pool that has been uncovered.

Thanks to volunteer Julia Welch, Dr. Washington’s Japanese Garden is now visible. Julia is also cleaning and clearing out other garden spots and plots in the large park-like setting.

Thanks again Julie.

Mark your calendars Sunday, May 19, 2019 2 pm to 4 pm

Washington Annual Garden Party The Washington Foundation Board continues to welcome the Friendship of The Wing Luke Museum. We as well extend our Friendship to them. We believe that Friends Create a Brighter Future for All. Within the Friendship, we appreciate their uniquely American story and encourage tours of their preserved 1910 Historic Hotel which features the actual living spaces, social gathering hall and import-export store of Asian Pacific American pioneers.

With special guests, students from the We.APP (Acting Performance Presentation) Program, directed by the founder, Toyia Taylor.

We.APP prepares adults, youth, and organizations to use their voice to develop powerful, authentic messages. She teaches them how to view their voice as an instrument; an instrument that’s designed to deliver stories or conversations, not presentations. In 2015, she was recognized by the Seattle Section National Council of Negro Women as one of twelve women who know how to integrate Style with Substance.

ART & HISTORY UNCOVERED In the 1960's James Washington was commissioned by Reverend Leon Sullivan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to create six sculptures of prominent African American figures, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Benjamin Banneker, Crispus Attucks, Frederick Douglass, George Washington Carver, and Nate Turner. They were placed in the rotunda during the dedication of Progress Plaza in 1969. The granite busts were removed due to vandalism. They are currently sitting in a storage facility and out of public view.

They were carved as a public reminder of the contributions of African Americans to the history of the United States. The six busts were enshrined in what civil rights leader Reverend Leon Sullivan called the Rotunda of Achievement at the country’s first African-American owned shopping center, Progress Plaza in Philadelphia.

Dr. Sullivan is also the visionary responsible for the OIC movement during the 1960s. He and Dr. Samuel B. McKinney were very good friends. They two of them along with a young man from Philadelphia, Ellsworth Carneige Hall are responsible for the Seattle OIC that is now under the management of Seattle Community College and located at 22nd & Jackson.

The Shopping Center in Philadelphia is now being renovated and there is some question as to the re-installation of the six busts at the site.

The complete story of this discovery was written March 27,2019, by journalist Sherry Howard titled “Missing Public Art Work of progress Plaza Uncovered.”

The article can be reviewed at https://hiddencityphila.org/2019/03/missingpublic-art-work-of-progress-plaza-uncovered/

MAY ARTIST IN RESIDENCE HEATHER MARIE SCHOLL

Artist and Activist, Fashion and fiber artist, Heather Marie explores social justice issues with an embodied and productive emotionality.

She studied fashion design at the Academy of Art University; studied race, gender and sexuality at Evergreen State College; went to Skyview High School and now lives in Brooklyn, New York.

A recent work in New York was themed “Do Your White Work.” an Embroidery and Racial Justice workshop. Heather’s month-long residency begins with an Artist Reception on Saturday, May 5, from 2 PM to 4PM and will end with a reception and showing of her new work on Saturday, May 25, 5 PM to 8 PM. Everyone is welcome.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

COMING JUNE 2019

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Seattle Writer returns Henry Smith home for writing residency . . . . One thing I remember him [Washington] telling me was about a trip he made to Mexico City to visit the artist Diego Rivera.

It seemed to have been a life-changing experience for him.

Rivera took him to the art museum in Chapultepec park to see the Rivera murals and then to the basement of the museum. In the basement was a sculpture of a serpent biting his own tail. Rivera said that the sculpture had been given to the Aztecs by Africans before the Europeans arrived. . . .

Now residing in Bossier City, Louisiana, The Foundation is excited to welcome Mr. Smith home to work on his book and share more of his Washington experiences as well as research on his book, The Big Picture.

Mr. Smith’s month-long residency will conclude with a luncheon on Saturday, June 22, 1:00PM to 3:00PM, at the Royal Esquire Club.. The public is invited to enjoy delicious food, perhaps some entertainment, and a review of Mr. Smith’s book.

James W. Washington Jr. (1909-2000) is a lifetime member of the International Society of Poets. His book, Poems of Life, pairs his paintings and sculpture with his poetry to provide an insight into his life and his view of life.

The Book available for purchase for $10.00 at the Foundation

All the sculpting was done by James W. Washington Jr. in his studio

We are all looking forward to Mr. Smith’s published book and perhaps a Seattle autograph party.

CONGRATULATIONS WA NA WARI On April 5, 2019, Inye Wokoma announced the opening of Wa Na Wari, a new center for Black art, stories, and connection, in Seattle’s Central District,911 24th Avenue, Seattle WA 98122. It is a Central District home owned by a black family for five generations embracing a legacy of kinship and community building, that without a doubt will continue under the watchful eyes of Inye Wokoma, Rachel Kessler and Elisheba Johnson.

Three artists Inye Wokoma, Jill Freidberg, Rachel Kessler and Elisheba Johnson are curating and managing “Wa Na Wari” in a space that Inye Wokoma’s family on his mother's side called home for five generations. Wa Na Wari means “our home” in the Kalabari language of Southern Nigeria, Inye's ethnic lineage through his father. It will be a space that re-imagines the home where Black people can share their stories, map their childhood, reunite with old friends, and make.

Artist-n-Residence

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September 2019

Tamika Moseley US Veteran • Herbalist • Published Author Global speaker • Sickle Cell Advocate Health & Wellness Consultant Tamika will take up residency in the Washington House during the month of September.

After spending every three months of her newborn's life in the hospital managing his sickle cell disease, Tamika Moseley knew she had to change what she was doing or the hospital would be her second home.

In her first book, Tamika shares her story of the difficult journey she took to find natural ways to treat her son's debilitating disease. Three years since she started using herbs to minimize his sickle cell crises, her son is living a normal, healthy and pain-free life. Whether you have sickle cell disease or the trait, this book will show you what your body needs and how to treat your symptoms so that pain is no longer a part of your vocabulary. As Tamika likes to say, "Knowledge is power!"

Sickle Cell Natural Healing: A Mother's Journey gives the reader the benefit of the wisdom one fearless and determined mother collected so that others suffering with this disease can thrive.

Tamika will use her month-long residency to begin a new book. A reception at month’s end and the community will have an opportunity to hear Tamika’s first-hand experience relative to her residency experience in the Washington House.

ART IN SPECIAL PLACES A series of Park Benches, themed “Creation” Sculpted by James W. Washington Jr. Safeco Plaza - 1001 4th Avenue, Seattle WA, across from the Seattle Public Library 1975