Weeksville Heritage Center Earns $200K It Needs To Stay Open

CROWN HEIGHTS, NY — New Yorkers rallied to save Crown Height's Weeksville Heritage Center — which owners recently announced would be forced to close without a $200,000 influx in funds — by raising more than $240,000 in less than two weeks.

A CrowdRise site historically landmarked center at St. Marks Place and Buffalo Avenue had earned $241,771 Monday morning, just 12 days after owners announced it would permanently close in July if it could not meet a $200,000 budget gap.

More than 3,700 New Yorkers pitched in to save the center, which preserves the history of the first free African American communities to settle in Brooklyn in the 19th Century and provides a platform for contemporary black artists and activists, its websites show.

Donations in recent days ranged from just $25 to up to $5,000, and were still pouring in Monday morning.

One of those donors was Joan Gadski Baisley, who wrote that she donated $25, "In honor of all those who bear the scars of racism and bigotry."

And Marisa Benton said she gave $50, "For the love of all that is Black in Brooklyn."

Weeksville Heritage Center did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment but this story will be updated if and when they do.

Historic Weeksville was established in 1838 as one of the first places in the United States where black people were free to own homes, build businesses and establish schools and churches, some of which still stand today.

According to the crowdfunding site, the funds will cover the costs of school to tours for more than 6,000 students, preserving the historic collections on site, training custodians and bringing cultural programming into central Brooklyn.

The CrowdRise site also includes a promotional video narrated by Michael K. Williams, a Brooklyn actor whose credits include HBO's "The Wire" and "Boardwalk Empire," asking for New Yorkers to help preserve the Weeksville Heritage Center.

"I was so incredibly inspired when I learned about the history," said Williams.

"The work they do there preserves and also shares an important site of black freedom, black empowerment and black self determination."