FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A local non-profit continues to push for a Black Historic District in Fayetteville.
At Tuesday's city council meeting a resolution was on the agenda to get the city's approval for the proposed historic district.
"We ended up having to table the resolution due to the lack of clarity and guidance from the state," Emma Wilson, CEO and founder of the Firm Impact Period. "It's a constitutional process that we're required to go through, which means that for the 708 lots we have to receive the majority plus one. As that resolution stands, it only encompassed eight lots and I was around the Yvonne Richardson Center when we needed it to accurately reflect where the 42 laws that are listed under the county's actual register of properties."
Emma Wilson, the consultant behind the project, has partnered with NWA Black Heritage to create the historic district. The proposed district is in the Spout Spring area.
According to the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, "Spout Spring was a neighborhood settled by formerly enslaved people and their descendants sometime after the Civil War. Encompassing a small valley with a spring-fed creek just east of what was then the Washington County Courthouse, the community core included East Meadow, Center, Mountain, and Rock Streets along with South Willow and Washington Avenues."
During that time, Sundown laws were in effect which imposed restrictions on nighttime travel and activities targeting African Americans across the South.
"This area is significant because it is the place where our Black community members were able to reside in a time when they were not allowed to be anywhere else ... due to the sundown laws," Wilson said. "And so it's important because of that, but it's also important because of the amount of history that is encompassed in the district."
The new district will encompass some of these by going from 15th Street up to Spring Street. It will also extend to Rock Street and College Avenue.
One of the state requirements that must be met in order to establish a historic district is obtaining property owners' approval. The majority of property owners within the district must sign a petition agreeing their property can be included in the historic district.
"Right now, we're sitting a little north of 150 signatures," Wilson said. "Our objective is to get a little north of 358, probably 360. Depending on how the state comes back in terms of their response, the city may be eligible to sign for some 42 properties, that'll take us well over into the 200 and it will get us closer to our goal."
Wilson is aiming for over 350 signatures. Until the next city council meeting, the organization will be collecting signatures and educating the community on preserving Black history in Fayetteville.
"We have a little more than 100 years' worth of history that we're happy to preserve through the creation of a local historic district," Wilson said. "And that's really what we're striving for through this effort is making sure people understand the history of the area and are willing to help us preserve it. And, honestly, we want to work on building and creating a really strong local historic district."
The city council is set to vote on the amended resolution on Feb. 20. NWA Black Heritage is hosting an event at Crystal Bridges called Hope Beyond Boundaries, an event where the organization will explore the past, ignite the present, and weave a brighter future together.
Hope Beyond Boundaries will include:
- An inspiring keynote speakers igniting conversations about truth, justice, and cultural awareness.
- Engaging panels sharing the triumphs and challenges of Black history in our region.
- Live music and artistic expressions celebrating the vibrancy of Black culture.
- Networking opportunities to connect with community leaders and build a united front.
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