The Rice Thresher, Vol. 89, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, October 26, 2001 Page: 6 of 28
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I
THE RICE THRESHER NEWS FRIDAY. OCTOBER 26, 2001
* s a' $ >
by Lindsey Gilbert
FOR THE THRESHER
Author and memoirist Bell Hooks
emphasized the importance of a
person's home in an Oct. 11 speech
tackling issues of race, community
and cultural heritage.
Hook's speech began the open-
ing symposium of "Shotguns 2001,"
an art and architecture exhibit in
Houston's Third Ward, a low-income
neighborhood. Sponsored by Project
Row Houses, the exhibit is 15th in a
series celebrating black American
history and culture.
The exhibit showcases the "shot-
gun" house, a vernacular architec-
tural form dating back to the early
19th century. Once found in many
economically disadvantaged areas
of the South, these narrow, closely
packed houses are part of a rich
historical tradition that Hooks and
others seek to preserve.
The name of the shotgun house
refers to its long, narrow, straight
shape, so one could shoot a gun
through the house. The houses
were built in this style so that wind
could go through the house, cool-
ing it.
The author of Killing Rage: End-
ing Racism, Ain't I a Woman? and
Happy to Be Nappy, Hooks is an out-
spoken supporter of racial awareness
and self-determinism. In her lecture.
Hooks dissected the importance of
the spaces in which people live.
"As an African-American, one of
the buildings that means a lot to me
is the architectural structure [of]
the shotgun house," Hooks said.
For her and many others, the
form symbolizes both the private
history of the home and the public
history of architecture and art.
According to Hooks, preserving
shotgun houses and other vernacular
structures fosters appreciation of the
traditions and lifestyles of the past.
Citing the efforts of Project Row
Houses as a rare example of histori-
cal preservation, Hooks called for a
heightened effort to restore these
crucial spaces.
"The ahistorical nature of our
culture is wounding young black
people," Hooks said. "That's why
the reclamation of history in archi-
tecture is so important."
She emphasized the aesthetic
appeal of shotguns and other early
forms of low-income housing. These
historical houses were much
healthier "homeplaces" than many
of the public housing communities
of today, Hooks said.
"A shotgun is not a dark, dank
cell," Hooks said. "It is a shelter, a
sanctuary, a place where peace is
possible."
She praised the "Shotguns 2001"
exhibit for highlighting the beauty of
black vernacular architecture and de-
bunking the current elitism in art.
"There is an assault on the poor
in this nation," Hooks said. "We don't
think they are entitled to beauty.
Food and shelter, yes, but a right to
beauty, access to art, no."
U rging members of all classes and
races to actively lay claim to beauty in
art. Hooks called upon young black
people in particular to take account-
ability for the past and the future.
"The new generation of black
people is so smart, so full of skills, but
in many ways paralyzed by fears,... a
fear of losing blackness," Hooks said.
Young black architects should
both forge ahead with new ideas and
concentrate on preserving the black
vernacular tradition, Hooks said.
Hooks is working on a new book
that addresses racial self-esteem.
She cited drug culture as one factor
that has devastated homes in many
historically black neighborhoods.
"Our neighborhoods are no
longer safe," Hooks said. 'They look
like war zones. The black vernacu-
lar has been torn apart by a sort of
genocidal warfare."
She asked audience members to
reflect on the maintenance of space
as a means of retaining cultural iden-
tity and commemorating the cour-
age of past generations. Preserving
our heritage directly combats igno-
rance, anger and fear, Hooks said.
"We have produced a generation
of black people, who are crushed by
the slightest little thing," Hooks said.
"Where would we be, those of us
who came out of segregation, if we
had allowed ourselves to be crushed
by the slightest little thing?"
In an informal session following
the lecture, Hooks fielded questions
about gender, politics and cultural
identity. She urged audience mem-
bers to use "Shotguns 2001" as a
springboard for self-reflection.
Hooks does not capitalize any let-
ters in her name, wishing to empha-
size her work instead of its author.
Hosted by the School of Archi-
tecture, the Center for the Study of
Women and Gender, and the En-
glish. history, sociology and reli-
gious studies departments, Hook's
speech drew many students unfa-
miliar with Project Row Houses.
"I didn't know the lecture was
going to be about architecture,"
JonesCollege senior Altovise Rogers
said. "I was a little taken aback, but
from what I heard tonight. Project
Row Houses is a good thing."
Regardless, Rogers said she was
glad she attended the lecture.
"I idolize Bell Hooks," Rogers said.
"Anything she has to say is always
good stuff, always makes an impact."
More than 100 students, profes-
sors and community members at-
tended the speech, entitled "House
Art: Merging Public and Private,"
which was held in Hamman Hall.
The "Shotguns 2001" art exhibit,
located at 2500 Holman St., runs
through Feb. 2.
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POLICE BLOTTER
The following items were reported to the University Police for the
period Oct. 10-22.
Residential Colleges
Sid Richardson College Oct. 10 Wallet stolen.
Will Rice College
Wiess College
Lovett College
Academic Buildings
Fondren Library
Oct. 12 Wallet stolen.
Oct. 17 Bike stolen.
Oct. 17 Student reported a camera
missing.
Oct. 11 Vacuum cleaner stolen.
Center for Continuing Oct. 12 Wallet stolen from
Studies
Fondren Library
Space Science
Building
a backpack.
Oct. 15 Bike stolen.
Oct. 17 Bike stolen.
Mechanical Laboratory Oct. 17 Bike stolen.
Abercrombie Lab Oct. 18 Checkbook stolen.
Anderson Hall Oct. 19 Bike stolen.
Dell Butcher Hall Oct. 22 Bike stolen.
Other Buildings
Rice Memorial Center Oct. 12
Track Stadium
Valhalla
Autry Court
Parking Lots
North Lot
East Stadium Lot
Bike stolen.
Oct. 12 Subject arrested for burglary.
Juvenile threw a brick through
a window of the construction
trailer and gained entry.
Subject was issued a criminal
trespass warning and
released to a parent.
Oct. 12 Wallet stolen.
Oct. 13 Wallet stolen from locker
room.
Oct. 12 Burglary of a motor vehicle
reported.
Oct. 13 Burglary of a motor vehicle
reported.
Founder's Court Lot Oct. 21
Vehicle broken into and purse
stolen.
Other Areas
Rice University
University Police
Intramural Field
University Police
Entrance 4
Oct. 15 Staff member reported
harassment by ex-spouse.
Oct. 17 Theft by check reported
because a student stopped
payment on check for parking
violations.
Oct. 17 Items stolen from a purse.
Oct. 18 Theft by check reported
because a check received for
a dependant ID was written
on a closed account. Warrant
issued for subject.
Oct. 20 Failure to stop and give
information.
Seeking Research Associates /
Lab Technicians
BioTex. Inc.. a local early stage medical
device company, is seeking full-time research
associates with BS, MS, or PhD degrees and
part-time lab technicians in chemisty or closely
related fields. Strong laboratory, communication,
and communication skills, as well as the
ability to work independantly, are important.
Fax or email your resume to:
(713)741-0122
johs@>biotexmedical. com
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Liu, Leslie & Reichle, Robert. The Rice Thresher, Vol. 89, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, October 26, 2001, newspaper, October 26, 2001; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth443159/m1/6/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.