(AP) – Two sites in Little Rock have been selected to receive
federal civil rights grants totaling to about $1 million.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that the Dreamland Ballroom and the
Little Rock School District were selected last week to receive an African
American Civil Rights Grant for nearly $500,000 each.
The historic ballroom at Taborian Hall hosted prominent black musicians such as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and B.B. King. The grant will allow the venue to get an elevator and centralized heating and air.
The ballroom’s owner hopes to eventually open it to the public and create a museum.
The school district received the award for its efforts to restore the historic Central High School. The money will go toward replacing more than two dozen windows on the school’s front facade.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI