Video of the People’s Park Nomination for National Historic Landmark, CSHRC, October 29, 2021
Hearing of the People’s Park nomination for the National Register of Historic Places, by the California State Historical Resources Commission, October 29, 2021
Short introductions of Commissioners: Lee Adams III, Chair (Public Member) Adam Sriro, Vice Chair (Historical Archeology) Bryan K. Brandes (Public Member) Alan Hess (Architecture) Luis Hoyos (Architectural History) René Vellanoweth (Prehistoric Archeology) and State Historic Preservation Officer: Julianne Polanco
Followed by public comment, discussion and unanimous affirmative vote.
The Keeper of the Register is expected to issue final approval of the nomination within 45 days.
Max, Ingrid, People’s Park bathroom mural – April 13, 2019
Leading up to the 50th anniversary of People’s Park, in 2019, Max Ventura wrote to Leon Rosselson to let him know that in spite of UC’s continual threats for half a century, we’re still here holding down The Commons. Max had sung his song, The World Turned Upside Down, aka The Diggers Song, on the Free Speech Stage since 1986. What follows is the interchange between them in 2019. While the one quote from him was so inspiring, Greg suggested that we share the whole interchange about the history of the making of the mural bearing the words to his song, The World Turned Upside Down. It is based on The Diggers in England in 1649, and some of Gerrard Winstanley’s words. The Diggers’ history and Leon’s song is such an important part of People’s Park History.
We now are celebrating our 50 year anniversary of People’s Park in Berkeley, California. We met at Down Home Music some years ago and I brought you a copy of our book in which the mural is featured. I continue to sing the Diggers Song as I have sung out there since 1986. It became our instant anthem all those decades ago and people begged meto paint up the lyrics. So one anniversary I did so on the sides of the concrete bricks leading to the men’s bathroom entrance. It took over 7 hours (I don’t recommend painting on concrete without proper brushes, at very least, unless in an emergency which it seemed this was!
Some years later as it had faded, people asked me to repaint them so I spent another anniversary concert day repainting. Sore arms. It was no easier the second time, and once again it was with perhaps the worst possible brushes since I had not planned ahead to redo that day. Emergency! though… so I made do.
Then some years after that when there had been just a bit too much chaotic graffiti on that big wall between the bathroom entrances, we decided a new mural would be a good idea and some of the park dwellers said it was getting too hard to read the tiny and faded lyrics and they wanted them big and bold so a local park supporter and artist did some initial sketching to lay out my ideas and a park dweller who’s an artist, and I, further planned the mural. He started painting the background and hills, and I painted the banners and spent (ouch!) another long day painting lyrics onto the banners during another anniversary concert and then holding the ladder while Terri Compost painted up the park history above. It’s been I don’t know how many years and there has been little graffiti and some of what’s been added is interactive right on the banners. Living art.
People’s Park is 50 years of User-development and I just wanted to share, once again, how important your song has been to the people living in, and visiting the park, and that is obvious as this has been one of the longest-lasting mural up there.
So thanks for being part of People’s Park, a model for our world. Messy sometimes, but a vision we have helped nurture and which lives on in spite of the University aggressively attacking the park and the people of the park many times over the half century.
Just this Jan. they came in 5 am one morning and decimated over 40 healthy trees. They say they plan to build housing for students but that was what was there 50 years ago, before they razed the beautiful old houses and apartments on that block. So our response? We’ve been planting other trees and they keep threatening to down those, also. And so it goes, and we remind “the public” that, it’s never been about providing housing, but about silencing free speech and sanitizing the area to please wealthy parents sending their children from the suburbs.
So we are on to our next 50 years. We had our first of two anniversary concerts yesterday and the second is the 28th. In between we have nearly daily events. I’m attaching a flyer for one I’ve coordinated, and at which I shall speak. If you go to www.peoplespark.org you can see the schedule of events. Lots of inspiration.
Sincerely, Max Ventura
Subject: Re: photos in front of people’s park bathroom mural Date: 2019-04-21 03:26 From: leon rosselson To: Max Ventura beneficialbug@sonic.net
Dear Max,
Thank you so much for your email, the photos and all the information about the happenings in People’s Park. I’m touched and feel honoured that you have given so much of your time and worked so hard to give the lyrics of my song a new life on this beautiful mural. This is my 60th year of singing and writing and one of my most treasured moments in all that time was to visit People’s Park and see the mural when I was in Berkeley in 2011. I am unlikely to visit again but I have the book, so thank you.
Good luck for the next 50 years. What you are all doing is a bright spot of hope in these bleak times.
We’ve had such a great almost 2 weeks of celebrations already, have a few more workshops and other events, and have our second concert all day Sunday.
At our People’s Park Committee meeting Sunday, people wanted me to ask you whether we could put this onto our website (we’d say, of course, that this is from you, writer of The World Turned Upside Down). The website is www.peoplespark.org:
Re: May we put this quote from you on the People’s Park website?
“This is my 60th year of singing and writing and one of my most treasured moments in all that time was to visit People’s Park and see the mural when I was in Berkeley in 2011. I am unlikely to visit again but I have the book, so thank you.
Good luck for the next 50 years. What you are all doing is a bright spot of hope in these bleak times.”
Added in 2021 as we are about to celebrate 52 years, enjoying the student and community uprising end of January where UC’s fences once again were torn down, and then were marched down Telegraph Avenue to be deposited on the steps of Sproul Hall:
While I was painting the lyrics on the mural so many years ago, my three children painted over the faded tiny lyrics on the edges of the concrete block wall at the bathroom entrance. They painted veggies and this kid art also has been left alone for everyone to enjoy. Even their names survive on the bottom painting of the bunch. Attached is a photo of Ingrid by those veggies paintings from so long ago, and there is one of Ingrid and me in front of the mural in 2019.
— Max Ventura
Ingrid, People’s Park bathroom tiles – April 13, 2019
Last Friday two lawsuits were filed in Alameda County Superior Court against UC Berkeley and the UC Regents. Two community groups and AFSCME Local 3299 are challenging the impact of growth plans of the university. Previously another filing was done on the Berkeley City Council’s violations of the Brown Act, in formulating and adopting the City’s recent secret “settlement agreement” with the University of California.
The evening’s panel will discuss both legal and community organizing actions to stop implementation of UCB’s Long Range Development Plan (LRDP), a plan that seeks to destroy People’s Park and other irreplaceable neighborhood and community assets in Berkeley.
Panelists include historians, preservationists and activists – Charles Wollenberg, Lesley Emmington, Carol Denney, Joe Liesner and Harvey Smith.
The exhibit includes photographs, art work, posters and memorabilia from over 50 years of spirited community involvement in preserving the irreplaceable open space of the park.
People’s Park is at the center of sixteen other officially recognized city landmarks, which collectively are a de facto historic district. They represent the heritage of the 1960s and the larger theme of a century of town/gown relationships. Berkeley became a major target of the New Right conservative backlash with Ronald Reagan promising to “clean up the mess in Berkeley.”
UC’s plans also threaten three historic buildings, including a rent-controlled apartment building, in another project funded by an anti-rent control developer.
The university has exceeded its agreed enrollment limits, creating enormous housing displacement throughout the city. The university has responded to years of state budget austerity by monetizing its public assets in a corporate-like growth that has also become a drain on city resources.
UCB proposes to cover People’s Park with a 17-story concrete monolith, probably to be erected by a private housing firm that will profit from student occupants. This would destroy both a historical and cultural legacy and much needed open space when reasonable alternatives are available.
If Berkeley all but invented the sixties, surely the city and its university should be able to commemorate that decade by preserving People’s Park as the heart and soul of a vital historic district.
Presentation by People’s Park Historic District Friday, August 27, 2021, 6–9 pm Canessa Gallery 708 Montgomery Street, San Francisco
Masks and Covid vaccination required.
For more information, contact Harvey Smith at 510-684-0414.
Sponsored by the People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group.
In a lawsuit claiming the nearly total inadequacy of the University of California’s Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on its 2021 Long Range Development Plan and Housing Project #1 and Housing Project #2 (LRDP) a team of lawyers representing Make UC a Good Neighbor and the People’s Park Historic Advocacy Group (PPHDAG) are seeking to void approval of the LRDP and the EIR, and thereby stop all activities proposed in that LRDP. This legal action is of great importance to supporters of People’s Park since it would mean significant delays for any attempts to destroy the Park by erecting three buildings on that beloved site. It would also keep our friends at 1921 Walnut Street in their rent controlled homes for the time being.
The lead attorney in this suit, Thomas Lippe, has prevailed in two California Environmental Quality Act cases against the University of California and, because his most recent victory against UC concerned plans to build on Upper Hearst, Mr Lippe is very familiar with the 2021 LRDP. This suit wast filed on August 20, 2021 in the Superior Court of California in and for the county of Alameda.
It describes the nearly total failure of the EIR for the 2021 LEDP to adequately either describe or address the environmental effects caused by the program or projects proposed in the LRDP. Among its contentions are that the EIR fails to make required findings, fails to propose and evaluate adequate mitigation measures, fails to respond in good faith to the public comments received in response to the draft EIR, and fails to lawfully assess the LRDP’s effects on traffic, noise, air pollution, population and housing, parks and recreation, or historic and cultural resources.
This site will post any response from UC or upcoming court dates as they are announced.
— joe liesner, secretary People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group
Donate to Lawsuit at: People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group P.O. Box 1234 Berkeley, CA 94701-1234
We are happy to present two new artist feature videos about Berkeley artist and long-time friend of People’s Park, Ed Monroe, produced by Abdul Guidoum, Alicia Perkins, and Fernando Ramos.
Ed Monroe: Berkeley, California street artist. Film by Abdul Guidoum
Ed Monroe Documentary on the wonderful artist, Ed Monroe, of Berkeley, California. — UC Berkeley 2014, Alicia Perkins, Fernando Ramos
Saturday, August 21, 2021, 6–9 pm Canessa Gallery 708 Montgomery Street, San Francisco
Presentation by David Axelrod, Attorney and Founder of People’s Park Native Plant Garden
David L. Axelrod has filed a Writ of Mandate in Alameda County Superior Court on the Berkeley City Council’s violations of the Brown Act, in formulating and adopting the City’s recent secret “settlement agreement” with the University of California. In the secret agreement, the Berkeley Mayor and City Council surrendered a lawsuit it had already won that had challenged the University’s Long Range Development Plan (LRDP), a plan that seeks to destroy People’s Park and other irreplaceable neighborhood and community assets in Berkeley.
David was involved in the 1970s and 1980s as founder and Field Coordinator of the People’s Park Project/Native Plant Forum (PPP/NPF), a student and community group that executed creative user development of People’s Park, establishing organic gardens and native plant communities in the Park commencing in 1974, and built the People’s Stage in 1979, under leadership of the People’s Park Council (PPC).
During those times, members of PPP/NPF and PPC developed a generally more peaceful and cooperative relationship with the University campus administration on behalf of Park users, gardeners, students and neighbors, concluding several written agreements. David will bring alive the park history of past years, as well as the reality of legal actions of today.
People’s Park is at the center of sixteen other officially recognized city landmarks, which collectively are a de facto historic district. They represent the heritage of the 1960s and the context of the larger theme of a century of town/gown relationships. Berkeley became a major target of the New Right conservative backlash with Ronald Reagan promising to “clean up the mess in Berkeley.” Now preservation of this community-built park is threatened once again by UC Berkeley expansion.
The university has exceeded its agreed enrollment limits, which has created enormous housing displacement throughout the city. The university has responded to years of state budget austerity by monetizing its public assets in a corporate-like overreach that has also become a drain on city resources.
UCB proposes to cover People’s Park with a 17-story concrete monolith, probably to be erected by a private housing firm that will profit from student occupants. This would destroy both a historical and cultural legacy and much needed open space when reasonable alternatives are available.
If Berkeley all but invented the sixties, surely the city and its university should be able to commemorate that decade by preserving People’s Park as the heart and soul of a vital historic district.
The exhibit includes photographs, art work, posters and memorabilia from over 50 years of spirited community involvement in preserving the irreplaceable open space of the park.
Masks and Covid vaccination required.
For more information, contact Harvey Smith at 510-684-0414.
Sponsored by the People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group.
Hey all, The folks at 1921 Walnut are urging everyone to bombard the Mayor and City Council with emails regarding the possible settlement of the City’s lawsuit against UC. Please share widely.
BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO ACT NOW
UC Berkeley wants to demolish the rent-controlled building at 1921 Walnut St./displace the long standing community there and destroy our public space at People’s Park. If this is allowed to happen, UC will be able to DEMOLISH ANY RENT CONTROLLED BUILDING or PARK IN BERKELEY. This would raise rents for everyone and destroy historic spaces that we all enjoy.
Berkeley Mayor Arreguín and City Council can stop them!
How? City of Berkeley is in a settlement negotiation with UC. City of Berkeley needs to withhold any settlement unless UC agrees to SAVE 1921 WALNUT and DEFEND PEOPLE’S PARK
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
CALL TO ACTION: EMAIL, CALL and TWEET at Mayor Arreguín and your City Councilmember AND SUPPORTERS OF PEOPLE’S PARK
More information
University of California released its new 2021 Long Range Development Plan. This plan includes:
demolishing 1921 Walnut St and evicting tenants
destroying People’s Park
building 8.1 million sq. ft. of new campus facilities (equivalent to 6 Salesforce towers)
adding 14,750 new students (44% above the current 2005 plan)
adding 3,500 new employees and 3,000 new parking spaces
adding 800,000 sq. ft. of new facilities in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone-California’s most dangerous fire zone
WE HAVE TO CONTROL THIS EXPANSION, SAVE 1921 WALNUT and DEFEND PEOPLE’S PARK. TELL THE CITY COUNCIL and MAYOR!
Contact them now prior to their settlement decision with UC. Make sure the City of Berkeley stands up for Berkeley tenants and our historic open spaces!
