Dr. James & Janie Washington Cultural Center: 2022 Community Advocacy Award

• September 16, 2022
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• Arts & Heritage

Congratulations to the Dr. James W. Washington, Jr. & Mrs. Janie Rogella Washington Foundation!

The Dr. James W. Washington, Jr. & Mrs. Janie Rogella Washington Foundation was established in 1997 by the couple to “preserve the art, writing, and lifetime works of Dr. James W. Washington, Jr., their home and gardens, and share their vision through the preservation, interpretation, and showing of his works and studio, and the family gardens and home.  Also, to encourage others by providing a setting where they can grow beyond the book, spiritually and artistically, and to share their talents with a larger audience.”

Dr. Washington was born and raised in Gloster, Mississippi, and came to Seattle with his wife Janie to work in the shipyards as part of the WWII war effort. James was a renaissance man with a wide variety of talents and interests; besides his mechanical and industrial capabilities, he was a prolific painter and sculptor, becoming an eminent member of the Northwest School of Art, as well as a writer and community activist.

Dr. Washington’s world-class sculptures are not only in places such as the Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture, the Smithsonian, Rotunda of Achievement, but also locally at the historic Mount Zion Baptist Church, Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic, Seattle Center, Washington State Capitol campus in Olympia, and in private collections worldwide. On May 20, 1973, James W. Washington Day was proclaimed by the Mayor of Seattle.

The Washingtons bought a house in Seattle’s Central District in 1949, where they resided for 51 years. A dream developed in them to bequeath their home to the community, leaving a place where people from all backgrounds could experience art, gather, and learn. To this end, the Washingtons established a non-profit foundation in 1997, personally selecting their board of directors, a few of whom are still serving the organization. When James and Janie both died in the year 2000, they left their home, a treasure trove of artwork, artifacts, and collections, as well as a substantial endowment as their legacy for the entire community.

Over the years, the Washington Foundation has maintained and upgraded the house, studio, and gardens and presented activities and programs for the community. Last year, the Foundation launched a Strategic Planning Committee to refresh its mission and vision and a fundraising campaign to continue the work and legacy of its founders.

As the winner of the 2022 Community Advocacy Award, the Dr. James & Janie Washington Cultural Center will receive a $3,000 prize in support of their efforts to improve and preserve the landmarked house, grounds, and studio of James & Janie Washington; renew the Foundation’s Artist in Residence program; make the studio space available for rental; install exhibits in the house on a rotating basis; and make available the library with over 3,000 books of potential interest to artists and scholars, as well as Dr. Washington’s personal documents, photographs, and African art collection.

Project Team:
The Dr. James W. Washington, Jr. & Mrs. Janie Rogella Washington Foundation Board

Images courtesy of The Dr. James W. Washington, Jr. & Mrs. Janie Rogella Washington Foundation.

Soul Pole: 2022 Preserving Neighborhood Character Award

• September 14, 2022
• No Comment
• Arts & Heritage

Congratulations to The Soul Pole!

The Soul Pole is a historic artwork that has stood tall outside the Douglass-Truth Branch of The Seattle Public Library (SPL) at 23rd Ave & E Yesler Way in Seattle’s Central District for almost 50 years. The 21-foot wooden sculpture was gifted to the library in 1972 by the Seattle Rotary Boys Club. Carved by six young community artists in the late 1960s, it honors 400 years of African American history and the struggle for justice in the United States.

At 50 years old, the Soul Pole’s wooden structure has weathered many seasons. With its condition deteriorating, the artwork became a safety concern in recent years, prompting a partnership between the Black Heritage Society of Washington State (BHS) and SPL to oversee the restoration of the beloved Soul Pole.

In 2021, SPL contracted with Artech Fine Art Services, an organization with extensive experience in restoration and preservation, to deinstall the Soul Pole and evaluate it. The pole was relocated to their shop, and Artech collaborated with well-known conservationist Corine Landrieu on a plan to repair, stabilize, and protect the sculpture. Realizing its historical significance, the focus of the project was to preserve the Soul Pole as close to its current form as possible for generations to come.

SPL and BHS worked closely to research the history of the Soul Pole and the artists (all Rotary Boys Club youths) who carved it. According to documents from the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Soul Pole was created in 1969 as part of a summer arts festival associated with the Model Cities Program to bring attention to African American history. SPL and BHS remain interested in garnering information and stories related to the Soul Pole to expand archives at both organizations. Family members and friends of the artists have come forward to share their memories, including the supportive leadership at the Rotary Boys Club.

With community and neighborhood invested, and the community’s desire to follow the preservation process, a partnership was formed with Converge Media to document the restoration project, including its deinstall, conservation, and reinstallation. The conservation work was successfully completed in late 2021, and the sculpture was reinstalled at its historic home on the Douglass-Truth Branch lawn in April 2022. The sculpture is now prepared to withstand several more decades of exposure to Seattle weather. The sole visible alteration to the Soul Pole is a zinc cap placed atop the sculpture to protect it from rainwater. SPL is in the process of adding an additional plaque alongside the original plaque at the Soul Pole’s base to share more information about the conservation project and the history of the artwork.

In a neighborhood that has seen many changes influenced by gentrification, the Soul Pole is a tangible symbol that claims space and honors the African American history in the heart of Seattle’s Central District.

Cheers to the Soul Pole partnership team for saving this important piece of history and earning the 2022 Preserving Neighborhood Character Award!

Project Team:
Owner: Seattle Public Library
Community Advocacy/Project Lead: Black Heritage Society of Washington State
Conservation Partners: Artech Fine Art Services, Landrieu Construction, Converge Media

Feature image of Soul Pole Reinstallation Ceremony with Stephanie Johnson-Toliver, Elijah Mu’ied, and TraeAnna Holiday. Second image courtesy of Artech. Third image courtesy of Seattle Public Library.