Harriet J Ottenheimer <mahafan@ksu.edu> Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996
Dear Chancellor Broski,
I am writing with regard to plans for Maxwell Street. It is my understanding that the University of Illinois at Chicago is planning commercial redevelopment of the Maxwell Street area. As a blues scholar I believe that the University as well as the city of Chicago would be best served by maintaining Maxwell Street as a Historic Preservation District in as authentic a manner as possible.
Maxwell Street attracts many tourists from overseas who are blues fans and want to see the old district.
I urge you to consider incorporating plans for a Maxwell Street Historic Preservation District into the University of Illinois' plans for commercial redevelopment of that area. Perhaps there would be a faculty member at the University who would be interested in developing an archive and an oral history of the area as part of the University's responsibility in this area. Scholars as well as blues fans would appreciate such an initiative.
Respectfully yours,
Harriet Joseph Ottenheimer, Professor of Anthropology, Director, American Ethnic Studies Program, Kansas State University <http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~mahafan>.
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