The Picayune Item

Local News

May 2, 2007

Picayune Colored Gymnasium a decaying piece of history

PICAYUNE — A piece of local African American history, the Picayune Colored Gymnasium, has been recognized as one of the 10 Most Endangered Historic Places in Mississippi for 2007 by the Mississippi Heritage Trust.

In an interview Friday, Carole Fortenberry said she hopes to get funding to “restore the building to its original design and purpose.” Fortenberry, who owns the building, would like to reopen the building as a community center for the city’s youth.

Fortenberry said the only discussions about the building so far have been about its preservation. Earlier this year it had been designated as a public nuisance. With that designation, it could have been demolished as part of the city’s program to deal with abandoned, rundown properties. However, the city has agreed to hold off to let renovation and preservation work to go forward.

Picayune native James “Lap” Baker, who was also instrumental in getting the gymnasium put on the list, said he is going to do everything he can to help renovate the building. Baker is a self-employed grant writer and planner who currently lives and works in Jackson, but says he comes home to Picayune every chance he gets.

Baker said the most important factor in repairing the building is to get community support for the project.

“What I would like to see is the entire community getting behind and showing support for this project. It won’t cost them one penny. All it will cost them is their support,” said Baker.

Picayune City Councilman Leavern Guy said Tuesday that so far the city has not been asked for help other than the request in February to delay demolition. However, Guy hopes that once a formal request is made, the city will help as much as is possible in the restoration of the building.

“It opened the door for many grant opportunities when (the gymnasium) was placed on the list. Now, the site is in a position to receive a lot of funding,” said Guy.

In a letter addressed to Baker that was provided to the Item, MHT Executive Director David Preziosi wrote, “Picayune has already lost so many of its historic structures that it would be a tragedy to lose anymore especially one that is important to the African American community and has played a role in so many of their lives.”

Built in 1930 by George Pickett and William “Bo” Sewell, the Picayune Colored Gymnasium was an important part of the African-American community for more than 60 years.

In the 1930s and 1940s, the two-story cinderblock structure housed the only full-sized basketball court available to African Americans on the Gulf Coast. Starting in the late 1940s, it was the site of home games for the George Washington Carver High School’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams.

The building also provided the only recreational facilities in the area for the African American community, serving as the site of events such as dances, concerts and boxing tournaments. Boxers trained in the building, including Freddie Little, a Picayune native who held the WBC and WBA World Junior Middleweight Boxing Title in 1969 and who is now a member of the Nevada State Boxing Commission.

In 1960, the building was purchased by Fortenberry’s father Lemuel Jackson and converted into a nightclub named The Blue Note Café, but Fortenberry said it was more commonly known as “Bootsie Boys’ Place.”

There are stories that many historical figures have been at the Colored Gymnasium at one point or another. Guy said he had heard a rumor of a performance given once by James Brown, the legendary Rhythm & Blues singer.

Tuesday, Baker mentioned another R & B music legend, Sam Cook, who may have performed at the gymnasium.

The Colored Gymnasium closed its doors in the 1990s and has been vacant since. The building has not been maintained since its closure and suffered extensive damage to the roof and walls during Hurricane Katrina.

The Heritage Trust is a statewide non-profit organization established in 1992 that is dedicated to preserving cultural and historical resources in the state.

The 10 Most Endangered Historic Places are announced biennially in April. Chosen sites are included in a photographic exhibit that is displayed at different sites around the state. While the Trust does not provide funding for the restoration of the designated buildings, the organization hopes that if enough attention is called to the chosen sites, restoration and preservation of these places with high historical significance will result.

Since its inception in 1999, the program has helped save six sites, and 28 more are in the process of being preserved, said MHT Director of Programs Dawn Denton. In addition to those sites where efforts are being made to preserve them and those already saved, said Denton, there are 15 other sites on which no progress has been made. Only one site has been lost during the eight-year span of the program.

Baker said he is determined to see the effort to save the Colored Gymnasium through to its conclusion.

Amanda 5/2/07 “This will be a reality,” Baker said.



Text Only
Local News
  • STAR PROGRAM STAR PROGRAM

    Picayune Jr. High students in the STAR program and students in the school’s Security Council went to Jack Read Park on Friday to have hot dogs.

    May 19, 2012 1 Photo

  • PRC GRADUATION SPEAKERS PRC GRADUATION SPEAKERS

    From left valedictorian Layton Evan Spiers and salutatorian Hayden Avery Skantz will lead Pearl River Central graduates in graduation ceremonies on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Kenneth L. Hendrix Memorial Stadium in Carriere.

    May 19, 2012 1 Photo

  • Four arrested, one sought in prescription sale bust

    Four suspects are in custody for their part in an alleged prescription medication acquisition and distribution operation and another suspect is being sought in the case.

    May 19, 2012

  • Picayune man convicted of fondling

    Picayune native Troy Chaupette was convicted of a 2005 fondling charge on Friday.

    May 19, 2012

  • In search of the “Cleistes divaricata” in South Mississippi In search of the “Cleistes divaricata” in South Mississippi

    Glen Ladnier, a member of the Gulf Coast Orchid Society and an orchid expert, told about 20 orchid enthusiasts who showed up at the Crosby Arboretum’s Saturday orchid seminar, that one would think that a place such as Hawaii would have a large variety of orchids and Mississippi only a few.

    May 19, 2012 1 Photo

  • School board honors model bus students

    Riding a school bus can be challenging for students sometimes, and one of the toughest jobs in the school system is that of a bus driver, say officials who run the system.

    May 19, 2012

  • DRAINAGE WORK DRAINAGE WORK

    City employees were out on Audubon Drive on Thursday working on drainage between two homes. The work seeks to keep water form collecting in the area that could cause damage to property.

    May 19, 2012 1 Photo

  • CLEANUP Centraplex will go back to foundation

    Picayune City Councilman Wayne Gouguet at the Tuesday council meeting asked Fire Chief Keith Brown about the status of the cleanup at the Centraplex at the corner of Memorial Boulevard and South Haugh Avenue, and Brown told Gouguet that the cleanup on property owned by businessman J.J. Eugeron in the complex would start up again this week.

    May 18, 2012 1 Photo

  • Juvenile charged with Friendship Park sexual crime

    A 17-year-old male juvenile has been charged with sexual battery for an incident that took place Tuesday night at Friendship Park.

    May 18, 2012

  • Pull over safely if foul play is suspected

    Officers with the Picayune Police Department urge motorists to use caution when pulling over during a traffic stop.

    May 18, 2012

Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
House Ads
Seasonal Content
AP Video
Raw Video: Deadly Bombing at Yemen Parade Preps Professor: Chinese Activist's 'Spirit Is Good' Ring of Fire Eclipse Seen in U.S., Asia Golden Gate Bridge Celebrates 75 Years G-8 Seeks Unity on Euro-debt Crisis, Iran Prosecutors: Trio Planned to Attack Obama's HQ Obama: G8 Unified in Stance on Iran, Syria
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
Twitter Updates
Follow us on twitter
Follow me on Twitter