Black Heritage Network Meeting 

September 25, 2000 

Participant’s Output 

Meeting Participants: Donna Ford (Chair), Karen Springer, Anita Toliver, Jennifer Dunkerson, Lyn Roberts, Wilma Morrison, Gary Hardy, Irene Knight, Beatrice Jones, Victoria Gaitskill. 

Regrets: June Harper, Harry Harper, Ada Summers, Margot Leslie 

Resource People: Eva Salter, Karen Daniels, Lorraine Hogan, Paul Samson, Arlene White, Vicki Owen. 

Changes to Minutes of the August 15th Meeting: 

Revisions to draft Letterof Intent – Core  Members 

Spelling of “Stuart” Memorial Church should be “Stewart” Memorial Church” 

Business Arising from August 15th Meeting: 

City of St. Catharines proposal to Canada’s Digital Collections Program Follow-up with Stewart Memorial Church

No update 

Will provide an organizational profile.

Progress of Network to Date: 

  • A challenge faced in achieving a cohesive group is that participants change with every meeting. 
  • One of the goals of the network is to share information. Since the group members do change, it is important for everyone to ask questions and ask for clarification from the Chair or resource people to ensure that we are all moving in the same direction. 
  • Accepted recommendation – that representatives from the core member sites meet separately to finalize the Letter of Intent and address other organizational items. 

⇒ Donna Ford to arrange a core member group meeting to work on finalizing the Letter of Intent. (Meeting set for October 23, subject to availability of all members.) 

  • Revisions to the draft Letter of Intent: Name of the Stewart Memorial Church will be changed to “Stewart Memorial Church, formerly St. Paul’s AME”. 
  • References to five core members will be changed to “six.” 
  • Purpose section – the word Cupertino to be changed to co-operation. 
  • Organizational structure – reference to the African-Canadian Heritage Tour Network will be removed and changed to “Black Heritage Network.”
  • Membership fees will be listed. 
  • Benefits of membership will be listed. 

Forming the Alliance: 

3 core member sites confirmed that they are prepared to sign the Letter of Intent. 

1. Nathaniel Dett Chapel and Norval Johnson Heritage Library have sent a letter to the 

BME Conference informing them of the network. 

2. The Hamilton Conservation Authority has given Jennifer Dunkerson, Griffin House permission to sign the Letter once the Board of the Conservation Authority has reviewed the final document. 

3. St. Catharines Museum is prepared to sign. 

⇒ Eva Salter and Lorraine Hogan to follow-up with the other core member sites. 

Areas of Co-operation: 

  • To assist sites in priorizing the areas of co-operation, Paul Samson presented a list of “things to consider:” 

1. Short-term projects that will be successful. 

2. Projects that build momentum. 

3. Projects that build partnerships. 

4. Projects that can generate revenue. 

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5. Projects that are feasible given time and resources available. 

  • Areas of co-operation should be priorized according to the following: 

Short-term: Projects that can be completed within 6 months

Medium-term: Projects that can be completed within 9 months. 

Long-term: Projects that can be completed within 12-18 months. 

Proposal to Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC): 

  • Resource team comprised of Jennifer Dunkerson and Donna Ford are going to draft a proposal for funding to HRDC. 
  • Draft proposal to be discussed with all members at the next large group meeting on November 20th. 

Outreach and Membership: 

  • A 1-2 page information flyer about the Black Heritage Network will be prepared to share with the community as a way of informing them about the Network until such time as the organization is in a position to undertake a membership and marketing campaign. Donna and Jennifer to draft as part of HRDC draft proposal. 

Tourism Marketing Product: 

  • Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership (OTMP) has agreed to look at the “Underground Railroad” as one of its Touring Products. In partnership with the Ministry of Tourism (MTour), OTMP will develop a ‘partnership driven’ marketing strategy with input and support from tourism stakeholders (for Southwest and Central Ontario). 
  • This will benefit the Black Heritage sites in Ontario as they will have a marketing brochure that includes information on each site, maps to the sites and educational information about the Underground Railroad. 
  • MTour will be seeking support and sponsorship for the marketing brochure from the tourism industry over the next few months. If there is support for the product, the Ministry hopes to launch it in February 2001 for Black History month. 

Homework for Next Meeting:

  • Prioritize areas of co-operation (short-term, medium-term, long-term) 
  • Identify ONE priority project which could be undertaken in the short, medium and long 

term. 

Next Meeting: 

Date: Monday November 20, 2000 

Time: 10:00am-2:00pm 

Location: