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Alkebu Motapa Collection:An inventory of records at Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library
Historical NoteFrom 1982-1991 Kathy Whitmire was mayor of Houston. She appointed Lee P. Brown to be the first African American chief of police in Houston. Later, Brown was elected mayor of Houston. Economically, the city and region suffered seriously beginning in 1982 as its primary industry, oil and all of the related manufacturing and service businesses, went into a steep and long-term decline as the demand for oil and its price fell sharply. Major Houston businesses merged to survive, reduced operations or faded from the scene. Unemployment soared, many people lost their homes and out-of-state financial institutions acquired almost every Houston bank and savings and loans. From 1998-2004, Lee P. Brown served as the first African American mayor of Houston, leaving office only because of term limitations. This was a relatively peaceful period for Houston as the city concentrated on infrastructure construction and improvements, many begun under previous administrations. Racial discrimination was no longer a major issue as African Americans voted, ate in restaurants, and could attend Texas colleges. However, Alkebu Motapa believed that excessive police force was still a concern and demonstrated against the police through his artwork, verbal statements, and a lawsuit claiming physical abuse. One individual that Motapa respected was Mickey Leeland, a controversial U. S. Representative, who worked for increased assistance for public health and hunger abatement. In 1989 Leland died in a plane crash in Gambela, Ethiopia during a mission to Fugnido, Ethiopia. Motapa honored his memory with posters and T shirts bearing the posters. Return to the Table of Contents Biographical NoteAlkebu Motapa, originally known as Carl Eugene More Austin, was born in the Fifth Ward of Houston, about 1947, as per a grant application. He also used the name, Humanity’ Chants,’ on his posters. His autobiography, which does not list a date of birth, states that he attended public schools in Houston. As a youth, he became involved with numerous organizations in human rights movements and worked with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and various agencies. He attended a number of universities such as Texas Southern University, Howard University, UCLA, Charles Drew Medical School, Cleveland, Life, and Sherman Chiropractic Colleges, obtaining a B.A. and an M.A. He also spent time with indigenous natives in the United States, Africa and the West Indies. In 1980, he began work as an Indigenous Natural Health Doctor and Clinical Supervisor, specializing in substance abuse programs. Motapa also founded the Motapa’ Museum of Natural Health, Science & Fine Arts located in Houston. Return to the Table of Contents Scope and ContentsThe collection contains artwork presumably created by Alkebu Motapa and includes photographs, letter-sized copies of posters, post cards and posters duplicated on T-shirts. The remaining items include an application for an Individual Artist Grant, audiotapes, a civil rights lawsuit, a compact disc, correspondence, newspaper clippings, tee shirts, and videotape. Return to the Table of Contents
Return to the Table of Contents RestrictionsAccess RestrictionsNone. Use RestrictionsPermission to publish or reproduce materials must be obtained from the Houston Metropolitan Research Center or the appropriate copyright holder Return to the Table of Contents
Return to the Table of Contents Related Material
Return to the Table of Contents Administrative InformationPreferred CitationAlkebu Motapa Collection. MSS 0317. Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library. Acquisition InformationAlkebu Motapa donated the collection in 1999 and 2001. Processing InformationProcessed by: Ron Drees, May, 2008. Return to the Table of Contents Detailed Description
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