It was in November of 2016 that I had last stepped foot inside former Aurora artist Charles Smith’s African American Heritage Museum and Vietnam Veterans Archive.
The old building on Kendall Street in Aurora was run-down back then, with many of Smith’s folk art pieces already removed by The Kohler Foundation that now features them at its Wisconsin site.
Smith himself had moved out of Illinois years ago. There was considerable interest from some community leaders, however, to not only preserve the remaining art pieces, scattered throughout the dilapidated house and half-acre lot, but to try and save this unique piece of Aurora history.
Leading the charge was African American Men of Unity President Ricky Rodgers, who was so passionate about the restoration project he even personally paid $25,000 in back taxes on the property to Kane County and then took over the deed under the African American Men of Unity nonprofit and went to work trying to bring dignity back to a property and a dream.
Rodgers will be the first to admit he hit challenge after challenge, including lots of rejection from groups, locally and throughout Chicago, that told him to check back in with them later when there was more to see than a piece of land that had become a dangerous eyesore.
He also ran into some push-back from neighbors, who were understandably concerned about the rapidly deteriorating condition of this property that became a dumping site for people who wanted to get rid of their trash.
Four years later, I’m happy to report, Rodgers’ dream is still alive.
But in order for it to continue, the old building at the center of plenty of complaints and controversy had to be demolished. Which is why early Wednesday morning I found myself once more – and for the last time – stepping foot inside the house, now even more filled with decay from weather, wildlife and two-footed trespassers.
Far worse than when I’d filmed a video of it back in 2016 when Rodgers first brought his restoration project to my attention, the building was far beyond salvageable. Yet, among the rubble were still a few remnants of some of Smith’s art he’d created from concrete, plaster and wood-pulp, including a row of blue paper mache heads representing African American men who had served during the Vietnam War.
Twenty minutes later, and only after those damaged but still definable heads had been carefully extracted and put in a safe place, the walls came tumbling down.
As did the doors and what was left of the windows and the top of the main entrance, where the words “We Shall Overcome” were barely discernible.
Even falling from its perch atop the roof was a statue of a saluting soldier that for years seemed to defy the elements and vandals in order to stand watch over Smith’s home and studio.
The yellow bobcat, driven by Tom Ratz of TJM Concrete, began picking apart the already-vulnerable building, ripping through large chunks of wall and roof as if they were matchsticks. And as the building slowly began to give in to its fate, Rodgers couldn’t help but feel a sense of sadness.
“You never know how attached you are to something,” he told me, “until you are about to lose it.”
But Rodgers knows there are times it becomes necessary to tear down the past in order to build the future. And looking ahead is where his focus is aimed.
The plan is to clear the property and use some of Smith’s outdoor artwork in a garden area of the lot. And in place of this old house, he wants to build a larger structure that will not only contain a museum section for Smith’s work but display the talents of other local African American artists.
Rodgers also envisions the new building as a community center which could serve as headquarters for the African American Men of Unity nonprofit that for nearly three decades has been a mentoring and job training program for young minority men of this community.
How important is this project to him?
More Top Picks Best Night Lights For Autistic Kids
Important enough Rodgers has taken out $50,000 in personal loans to pay the taxes and get this demolition work completed. Aurora Township, he said, has agreed to help clear the lot. And he’s also counting on grant money to keep this dream alive, as well as more interest from the community, including aldermen and big money foundations. Those who wish to help with this endeavor can contact Rodgers at 630-606-1910 or visit aamou.org.
Even Smith, a Marine veteran and Purple Heart recipient who began creating his eclectic folk art as a way of dealing with the demons he brought back from the Vietnam War, admitted to me a few years ago that, while he may be an internationally celebrated artist, here in Aurora he is also known as “the crazy man” with “all the junk” in his yard.
But it needs to be pointed out that in 1999, the Art Institute of Chicago designated his museum as a Millennium Site. A few years later, The Kohler Foundation purchased hundreds of Smith’s pieces and distributed half of them to museums throughout the country, including the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Still, officials began fielding safety complaints after the museum fell into disarray beginning in 2002 when Smith moved back to his Louisiana hometown to be with his ailing mother. After he was able to refurbish the Aurora site, with help from a grant and a special use variance, a grand opening was held in 2004 that attracted a crowd of locals and out-of-towners, including art students and history buffs.
But struggles to maintain the property continued and four years ago the county was ready to condemn it until officials learned of its significance. Which is when Rodgers decided to step in, especially after learning The Kohler Foundation put together a large exhibit of Smith’s work in 2018.
Disappointed and surprised – but also undaunted – by the level of interest so far, Rodgers hopes more people will see the benefits of his vision now that the dirty work is out of the way.
And yes, there was a lot of dirt and debris flying all over the place on Wednesday. But watching the demolition only fuels Rodgers’ desire to continue this labor of love.
Because he’s seen how often “Dr. Smith’s story and his artwork has inspired the young men” he works with, Rodgers understands this project is more than about preserving one man’s legacy.
“It is our history, our heritage … we will build it bigger and better for the community,” he insists.
“I am rejuvenated and ready to start moving quickly again.”