For Immediate Release
(Updated Feb 29, 2024)
BY Brenda Williams | February 2024
An Update from the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale MS
Where the blues gave birth to Rock and Roll & Home of the Delta Blues
“It’s been a long journey to here, but here’s where we are.” Zelena Ratliff
Riverside Hotel Family and Supporters
Since commencing in June 2021 with our plans to save, restore and preserve the Riverside Hotel for future generations, a lot of work has happened, and we wish to share with you where we are at on our journey to save, restore and preserve this very special place of African American culture, music, and civil rights history. To-date a lot of the work continues to happen behind the scenes and sometimes it takes a while before we can share, but now we wish to bring you up to-date on what has transpired and what’s on the horizon.
GoFundMe
We are celebrating 2 years of fundraising with our GoFundMe. Through the generosity of so many supporters of the Riverside Hotel, we’ve raised approximately $32,000 towards our goal of $50,000. This is in addition to those supporters who have generously donated privately. Pending the Hotel re-opening, we remain solely dependent on our GoFundMe as well as private donations, as our only sources of income to meet our basic operating expenses while we move forward with our capital projects. With more people telling/sharing, we believe that we can build a bigger “family” going forward; with members that can help us continue to support Zee and Sonya, the granddaughters of Mrs. Z.L. Hill, in their efforts to save the Riverside Hotel. Please continue to share our story. Please ask people to check out our GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/e7236774 .
National Trust for Historic Preservation: $15,000 Cultural Heritage Action Fund Grant
In December 2021 we received a $15,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for a preservation report as to the condition of the building structures.. The report was quite extensive, involving input from both structural and mechanical engineers and prepared under the direction of an award winning preservation architectural firm (Jimmie Tucker Architect).We now have a playbook outlining everything we are needing to do to save, restore and preserve both the Hotel and the three adjacent shotgun houses.
National Parks Service: $499,500 African American Civil Rights Grant
In May 2022, we were awarded a $499,500 grant to fund capital preservation projects. Based upon our preservation report, the most critical project identified was the need to stabilize the foundation of one of the shotgun houses (the one that John F. Kennedy Jr. stayed in) which was in danger of collapse. We are pleased to report that this work was completed in December 2022 and the structure has now been saved for future restoration.
Based on the preservation report, detailed construction plans including a geotechnical study of the riverbank soil was prepared by our preservation architect, Jimmie Tucker Architect. With the construction plans having been recently approved by the National Parks Service in consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office, we are now proceeding with our projects based on priority, with the first projects entailing stabilization of the Hotel’s foundation and replacement of the antiquated HVAC system throughout the Hotel including the rooms. Both projects are major undertakings. With oversight by our preservation architect, these projects will shortly be going out for bid under federal contracting guidelines, and we are hopeful that this work will be underway by late Spring 2024. Upon completion of these two projects, we are optimistic that we will once again be able re-open the Hotel for overnight guests. While these projects are anticipated to use up a significant portion of our grant, future projects such as replacement of the electrical and plumbing systems will be dependent upon sourcing additional grant funding.
Smithsonian Institute’s Traveling Green Book Exhibition
Green Book: One of the difficulties black travelers encountered was finding a safe place to stay and eat. Across the country, some hotels and tourist homes would not serve Black customers, and in many areas Black travelers faced threats and violence in trying to secure gasoline, car maintenance, meals and accommodations. To avoid a search for a place to stay, or sleeping in one’s car, Hugo Green created The Negro Traveler’s Green Book (1936-1966) which listed hotels, tourist houses, and restaurants that served the Black traveler.
The Riverside Hotel (and Café) first appeared in the famed Green Book in 1956 up until the last edition in 1966. Today, it is estimated that only 3% of the 9,500 businesses that were listed at one time in the Green Book remain to this day in operation, including the Riverside Hotel. As one of only a few Black owned hotels during segregationist times in Mississippi, the Riverside Hotel was very much a safe haven where Black artists and travelers who visited Clarksdale could stay as well as eat. Legendary artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Sam Cooke, Ike Turner, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson II, and Robert Nighthawk, to name just a few, all stayed at the Riverside Hotel. From July to September 2022, we were invited to participate in the Smithsonian Institute’s Traveling Green Book exhibition at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, MS. This was indeed a great honor and included us donating a few items from the Hotel that were displayed as a representation of artifacts from the time period we were in the Green Book.
National Parks Service African American Civil Rights Network
In March 2023, we were elated to learn that we had been added to the historic National Parks Service (NPS) African American Civil Rights Network which encompasses properties, facilities, and interpretive programs, all of which present a comprehensive narrative of the people, places, and events associated with African American Civil Rights movement in the United States.
From the NPS “Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that the Riverside Hotel African American Historic Preservation Center has been added to the African American Civil Rights Network. The National Park Service appreciates your interest and the time you took to apply. The continuing African American struggle for social, economic, and political equality has forever changed the United States. The African American Civil Rights Network seeks to tell the story of the men and women whose bravery and sacrifices shaped the movement throughout American history, and still impact our country today. The Riverside Hotel African American Historic Preservation Center plays a critical role in this story, and we are pleased to include it in the Network.”
The Riverside Hotel is now amongst approximately 70 other designated civil rights sites in all of America and just 5 in Mississippi (including ourselves) and the only one in Clarksdale. We now take our place on the NPS Civil Rights Network amongst the likes of the Lorraine Motel, Little Rock Central High School, Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, Freedom Riders National Monument, and the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail.
Association of African American Museums Grant $20,500
In July 2023, we secured a grant award of $20,500 from the Association of African American Museums based in Washington, D.C. in partnership with the National Park Service’s African American Civil Rights Network to research, document and create a library that will preserve the rich history of the Riverside Hotel, which was listed as one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in June 2021.
This project, which will be headed up by the Mt Zion Memorial Fund for Blues, Music and Justice, has just gotten underway. Under the direction of Dr. T. DeWayne Moore, Executive Director, the Mt Zion Memorial Fund has done some very meaningful work in Mississippi and we’re excited that they agreed to undertake our research project. Since 1989, the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund has served as a conduit to provide financial and technical support to African American church communities and cemeteries in Mississippi.
Part of the research project will entail documenting the history of our founder Mrs. ZL Hill and the Black hotel patrons and musicians who frequented the Riverside Hotel; going out into the Clarkdale community to interview and document those that still have oral history of the Hotel as well as of Mrs. ZL Hill, Frank and Joyce Ratliff and other family members; and researching the history of the Hotel when it operated as an Afro American hospital from 1916 to 1942. In this regard, if you feel you may have a story and / or pictures of our past that you would like to share, including the Subway Lounge, we encourage you to please reach out to Ron Woywitka at tunesinthecity@gmail.com and he will put you in touch with our research team for follow-up. The target completion date for the research project is September 2024 which will include presentation of the research findings to both our supporters as well the Clarksdale community at large.
Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area Grant $20,000
In October 2023 we were awarded a $20,000 matching grant from the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area (MDNHA) towards creating an Interpretive Center within the Hotel. The Interpretive Center is to be located in the room that was once the room of Mrs. ZL Hill and prior to that served as the women’s ward when it was an Afro American Hospital. Upon completion the Interpretive Center will enable us to share our rich history including the many artists that stayed at the Hotel; our role during the Civil Rights era including being in the Green Book; the story of Mrs. ZL Hill (who founded the Hotel in 1944 during oppressive segregationist times in Mississippi) and the Ratliff Family; its role as an Afro American Hospital serving the greater Clarksdale community for 25 years; being the place where the Empress of the Blues, Bessie Smith passed in 1937; and where Rocket 88 (considered to be the first Rock and Roll song) was practiced and rehearsed. The creative design phase of this project is nearing completion, and we hope to begin with construction in Spring 2024 with a target completion date of September 2024. Leading up to completion, we will be reaching out into the community for volunteers wishing to donate some time to assist staffing of the Interpretive Center.
Riverside Hotel Front Door Sign
The Riverside Hotel sign out front has run its course and was beyond restoration. In this regard, we commissioned with Robert and Greg Birdsong, a local artistic family, to make a new sign which will be a replica of the original sign. The sign has now been completed (it looks great) and we will look to hang the new sign the week of the Juke Joint Festival.
Tipping our Hat to some of those who have helped us on our Journey
This journey so far has only been possible because of the great support we have received from so many, including you, our donors that have enabled us to keep the lights on and pay our operating expenses while we undertake our preservation projects. In addition, we wish to acknowledge the great support we have received from so many others including but not limited to, the Mississippi Heritage Trust (our fiscal agent); the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area and Dr. Rolando Herts; the Mississippi State Historic Preservation Office; the honorable Bennie Thompson congressman for the 2nd Congressional District; Clarksdale Mayor the honorable Chuck Espy; the Association of African American Museums; the National Parks Service; Bubba O’Keefe, Executive Director of Coahoma County Tourism; Roosevelt Wallace with Wallace Art and Signs; Jimmie Tucker Architect; Dr. T. DeWayne Moore, Executive Director with the Mt Zion Memorial Fund for Blues, Music and Justice; Robert and Greg Birdsong; Kat and Lance Bowman; Michael Betcher; Gord Condie; Sean Apple; and Lucious Spiller. And lastly but not least, our dedicated team of volunteers we call Team Riverside – Teeny Tucker, Mick Kolassa, Stuart Knowles, Brenda Williams, Erica Brown, Laura Rothermel, Dr. Bernie Demczuk, Sonya and Ralph Gates, Zelena Ratliff and Ron Woywitka whose contributions have been immeasurable in supporting our cause.
How you can help
While there is an extraordinary amount of work still ahead, we’re determined to keep pushing forward; exploring avenues that continue to highlight our mission to Save, Restore and Preserve the Riverside Hotel and to spread the word however we can, to whoever will listen. For you, our supporters and those wishing to come onboard, please feel free to continue to get the word out of the need to increase awareness, not just locally, but around the world, about what we are trying to achieve. Should you wish to consider getting involved, especially with our fund-raising efforts, please reach out to Brenda Williams at brendawilliams2121@hotmail.com.
For more information on the Riverside Hotel
https://www.riversideclarksdale.com/
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Press only Contact:
Brenda Williams
778-847-7121
brendawilliams2121@hotmail.com
