88R32389 BK-D
By: Gervin-Hawkins H.R. No. 2311
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, For the better part of a century, the Carver
Community Cultural Center has played a prominent role in the social
and civic life of San Antonio's historic Eastside area; and
WHEREAS, When the center was built in 1929, it was the only
library and performance venue available to the city's African
American residents; from the 1930s through the early 1960s, it
played host to legendary musicians such as Duke Ellington, Ella
Fitzgerald, Paul Robeson, Louis Armstrong, Charlie "Bird" Parker,
and Dizzy Gillespie; it also served as the location for high school
graduations, debutante balls, weekly social dances, weddings,
political rallies, club meetings, and a plethora of other events
that shaped the lives of generations of area citizens; and
WHEREAS, Due to the impact of desegregation, as well as
changing housing patterns and inadequate maintenance of the
building, the Carver Community Cultural Center was closed in the
late 1960s; during the next decade, a number of Eastside civic
leaders lobbied for the restoration of the center; after
discovering that the city planned to demolish it in 1973, employees
and clients of the United Citizens Project Planning and Operating
Committee, under the leadership of director Nova Hill, placed
themselves in front of bulldozers until the mayor rescinded the
demolition order; after the center was saved, negotiations for its
renovation began in earnest; and
WHEREAS, In 1976, the newly renovated Carver Community
Cultural Center reopened under the ownership and management of the
City of San Antonio; city officials introduced a new vision that
transformed the facility into a multiethnic and multicultural
performing and visual arts center primarily focusing on the
artistry of African Americans; today, the center continues to bring
nationally and internationally acclaimed artists to San Antonio and
hosts exhibits, artist residencies, master classes, workshops, and
private functions for individuals and organizations; and
WHEREAS, The Carver Community Cultural Center has long served
as an essential resource for residents of San Antonio's Eastside
and a living link to their shared history, and its continued
existence is a testament to the collective will of many individuals
with a desire to preserve the community's rich cultural legacy;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize the Carver Community Cultural Center
for its historical significance and ongoing civic contributions and
commend all those associated with this iconic facility; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the center as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.