Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
ACEs Veterans Museum speaker warns Parker Hall preservation is at risk, seeks commission support
Summary
Dr. Althea Hankins urged the Veterans Advisory Board to help preserve Parker Hall and highlighted ACEs Veterans Museum programs, artifacts and a reported online erasure of black military history tied to the site at 5801 Germantown Avenue.
Dr. Althea Hankins, director of the ACEs Veterans Museum, told the Philadelphia Veterans Advisory Board that Parker Hall — the site of a black USO from World War II — is threatened and asked the commission for help preserving the historic site.
Hankins outlined the museum’s educational-enhancement programs, which teach students to research artifacts and create Smithsonian-hosted websites, and described collections including surviving handbooks, a carved Marine "devil dog" artifact and a Vietnam memorial plaque. She said her book and other materials were removed from online platforms, which she characterized as part of a larger pattern of erasing Black military history.
"We are dedicated to preserving Parker Hall," Hankins said, noting the museum’s address at 5801 Germantown Avenue and that it offers walk-in tours Monday through Thursday from noon to 4 p.m. She asked commissioners to visit and to support preservation efforts and special events, including a March 29 Vietnam Veterans Day observance at the museum.
Chair Myra Fields Rouse encouraged commissioners to attend, calling the museum a "unique experience" and emphasizing that it is free and interactive. No formal preservation motion or vote was recorded during the meeting.
Next steps: Hankins offered to provide a private tour and additional materials; commissioners indicated interest in receiving information and visiting the museum.
