Podcasts Government Monday in Manhattan Coach Dave Baker - Black History in MHK

Coach Dave Baker - Black History in MHK

Published: March 3, 2020, 6 p.m.

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To celebrate Black History Month, the City\\u2019s Diversity and Inclusion Committee sponsored a brown bag \\u201cLunch and Learn\\u201d with Coach Dave Baker, Director of the Douglass Center. Coach Baker talked with employees about the past, present, and future of Manhattan and the Douglass Center, and also spoke about the importance of remembering history and of building a sense of community. The "Lunch and Learn" was held on Thursday, February 27, at the Flint Hills Discovery Center.

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If you are not familiar with the Douglass Center, construction began in the 1940s on what was then the U.S.O. for African-American soldiers, a building that provided education and recreation for the soldiers as well as Manhattan\\u2019s black community. After World War II, this building was donated to the City of Manhattan and became the foundation of the Douglass Center. Over the years, it has provided a safe place for kids, adults, and seniors to go for recreation and social activity. The Center continues to be an example of what is meant by the word community, thanks in large part to our colleagues working at the Center.

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The new building, which will become the Douglass Recreation Center, will break ground on March 4 and is expected to be open to the public by the end of 2020.

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