By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

More than a year after we first told you about the Washington State Black Legacy Institute moving into the city-landmark former church/events venue at 2656 42nd SW, they’ve bought the building and are ramping up its public accessibility.

They’re planning a February 1st ribboncutting to launch the Institute’s next big event – an art exhibit for Black History Month.

First, about the purchase: On behalf of WSBLI, Urban Black Community Development bought the property from 20+-year owner Dahli Strayer a little over a month ago, for $2.75 million. Strayer had bought it in 2003, not long after its remaining Christian Science congregation merged with others in the area; in 2009, it became a city landmark, and it was operated as an event venue for some years after that.

“We have an interesting symbiosis (with the purchasing entity),” explains WSBLI curator Roger Evans. “The Seattle Griot Project is reimbursing them as a joint partner – we have a mortgage,” which he says WSBLI hopes to pay off within a year, if fundraising goes well.

On the front burner, though, “lots of programming” – starting in earnest with next month’s art exhibit, in the building’s basement.

The displays will include historical portraits and other artifacts from other history-focused groups and organizations, highlighting regional figures from music, churches, even the Black Masonic Order. Along with the exhibit at the WSBLI’s Admiral building, they also will have an exhibit on the road.

Preparing for this, WSBLI has new assistance from a group of interns who’ve been working there for more than two months, working on digitizing many of the historical materials so they’ll be available beyond in-person viewin. Education overall is a major mission of the institute, says Evans, who notes they’re doing a lot of virtual-reality work so that people can experience interviews “like you’re sitting right there with people – an eyewitness, not just watching video – you learn something new when you’re tuned into body language,” for example. VR assistance includes a Tacoma-based organization called Black Muse that’s provided some of the interns working at WSBLI. In addition to digitizing, they’re also “helping me streamline how folks engage with the headsets, how we can make these interfaces work better.”

That’s all going on behind the scenes. Otherwise, Evans says, they’ve received a warm welcome from the neighborhood – “lots of people come by to (offer) support.” Up until now, they’ve been open “basically by appointment,” but the February art exhibit will be the first time they’ve been open regular hours “so that people can be in the space” with staffing. Support from 4Culture and the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture is assisting with this. You might recall WSBLI also had a major event a year ago, the Business Festival During Kwanzaa.

Black business history comprises a lot of the material with which WSBLI is working, but not all. Evans says that in addition to the Tacoma directory he told us about last year, they’ve found others from the early 20th century, from California and Texas. Delilah Beasley chronicled much of the history. Evans recounts a 1919 book in which she “talks about Black Americans who served in the Spanish-American War … during this framework in time, Black communities were trying to create some kind of historic structure, to preserve history …” So they’ve found “great representations of what was going on during the early 1900s – we’re finding consistencies that give us an idea there was a sophistication when people establish community – once people create a community they establish a church and then a Masonic Order for business sense and some camaraderie among the men.” That was the case with a historical figure spotlighted at WSBLI, James Sheppardson, who “brought miners into Roslyn (WA), then with those 50 minors established Masons. Then William Grose came into Seattle, (and) established the Masons three years later – they had a lodge in Seattle and started to create the structure for the communities.”

Speaking of structure, WSBLI is part of a “three-tier alliance” with organizations tied to Kitsap and Pierce Counties: “We’re going to assist them in digitizing their collections too,” and they’re loaning archival materials to WSBLI.

The institute, meantime, continues working on its collection of banners telling historical figures’ stories – “we’re building toward having 21 of them; we have 15 now.” They plan to take some of these materials to schools this year. The digitizing and VR work feeds into that as well: “We’re taking it really seriously,” Evans stresses. “In February, we’ll have a prototype of our VR presentation,” a 360-degree view where you could read old books or watch old videos – “a memory attic,” for memories already collected as part of The Griot Project. “The fourth component will be a game, tentatively A Visit to Mama B’s, where an AI-influenced avatar will talk about … stuff that’ll be historically relevant to our community. … I want this thing to be not limited so much to the building – we’re open to share with the whole planet as much as possible.” He muses that “although (the new headquarters) is an old building,” they’ll be showcasing historical materials in “the most advanced ways.”

That “old building” does need some updates for which they’ll be fundraising too, Evans notes: a new roof, interior accessibility (the ex-church has rooms on multiple levels requiring stepping up and stepping down), landscape tidying, and a security system. “Our primary mission is to be part of the community and contribute something to the community, maybe even to the whole Northwest … we’re figuring out what’s going to work for us,” and that, he believes, will help them in grant-writing, as they explain their mission – “not stuffy,” he smiles.

In addition to the February art for Black History Month, WSBLI is planning a film festival for Juneteenth. “We haven’t figured out yet what it’s going to look like … We’re trying different things and they’re blessing us, which gives us opportunities to have the young people come into the space. A lot of them are supercharged, because they never heard of the (history), until now.”

They plan to have the building open six days a week starting with the art exhibit’s opening day. Here’s the formal announcement of the event that will kick it off:

The Washington State Black Legacy Institute (WSBLI) proudly announces the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony & Black History Art Exhibition and Business Festival, a day-long celebration of culture, creativity, and community empowerment. The event will occur on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at the Washington State Black Legacy Institute, 2656 42nd Ave SW, and is open to the public.

The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony & Black History Art Exhibition and Business Festival is more than an event — it’s a celebration of the past, present, and future. The new WSBLI space symbolizes a commitment to cultural preservation, community empowerment, and economic development. By joining us, attendees can take part in meaningful conversations, celebrate Black excellence, and contribute to a shared vision for a thriving and inclusive future.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: This momentous occasion marks the grand opening of WSBLI’s new space, designed to serve as a community hub for fostering education, dialogue, and inclusivity. Local dignitaries and WSBLI leadership will be present to commemorate the opening.

Black History Art Exhibition: Immerse yourself in the stories of resilience, heritage, and innovation as told through the works of talented Black artists. This curated exhibition promises to inspire and educate attendees of all ages.

Meet & Greet: Connect with local community leaders and members, explore a vibrant marketplace, and participate in interactive workshops. This festival is an excellent opportunity to support entrepreneurs and discover valuable community resources.

The event is planned for 11 am-2:30 pm on Saturday, February 1.