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Portland Art & Heritage Fair

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≤ At 2910 NW Parkway stands a massive 1863 estate known by many names: Lockhart Mansion, James F. Irvin House, K&I Railroad Office. But does anyone remember the Java House Cafe? For 3 short years at the turn of the millennium, this acre-sized property was owned by Nailah Jumoké, who briefly but radically altered the trajectory of the place before seemingly disappearing into time. Jumoké’s bio was already unique before she bought the mansion in 1999. A playwright and a clairvoyant medium who owned/operated a vegetarian cafe, she was also the first African American to run for governor of Kentucky. Thankfully, she decided to write and self-publish a memoir called Abebi, available now on Amazon. Jumoké had reoccurring prophetic dreams about being inside the mansion’s 22 rooms before stumbling onto it in real life, “that day became the beginning of a long, arduous and bittersweet journey, whereas I would be servicing not only the living, but also the dead”. She knew in her heart that the building was a brutal former slave plantation, and the ghosts - including the spirit of a young girl named Abebi - were calling her to free their souls “from their unceasing hell”. After cleansing rituals, Jumoké got to work, establishing themed rooms such as the Fredrick Douglas Library, Amistad room, and the Harriet Tubman room, used for “spittin’ lyrics, crooning a tune or camouflaging your voice to spit out the latest beats”. She received the Louisville Historical League’s Preservation Award for her renovation efforts. Jumoké sums up her mission, “As a former slave state, Kentucky’s history and its relationship to the descendants of Africans was still marred by the inability to relate to us as equals. So many of our elders were still trapped in the slave mentality, which carried a seed that germinated and rooted deeply in the minds of so many of my generation...and the sluggish uphill battle to promote pride, equality and self-sufficiency was almost impossible. After all, Kentucky did not sign the emancipation proclamation until 1976, 111 years later. Talk about being determined to keep us enslaved.” Nearly forgotten history of Portland Kentucky, indeed! #louisvillelove This is John. Portland resident and 2019 Kentucky Governor candidate John Hicks earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with concentrations in economics and history from Stetson University in 1968 and attended Georgia State University from 1987-89. Hicks is a Leadership Louisville graduate, class of 1982. He served in the U.S. Army from 1969-70 assigned to Signal Corps, and served in Chu Lai, Vietnam. His professional experience includes working as a public school teacher, community newspaper publisher from 1976-86, and a programmer-analyst/IT consultant. His organizational affiliations include the Kentucky Open Source Society and the Libertarian Party of Louisville. He is also a longtime active member of the Portland Now, Inc community group. John Hicks received 28,426 votes in yesterday’s election, finishing a distant third behind Andy Beshear and Matt Bevin, but playing a huge role in turning the tide for Kentucky and potentially the entire nation. Thank you for your service to our country, state and neighborhood, John! #ourportlandportraits #louisvillelove Hey fellow West Enders, don’t forget to vote today! #louisvillelove Portland Ave circa 1980 by artist Juanita Kelsey Baker, who passed away in 2014 #louisvillelove Hey, it’s officially LVA’s Open Studio weekend! Portland is representing at the Dolfinger Building (2500 Montgomery St), @hiteart and the @louisvillevisualart campus today and tomorrow from 12-6pm. Drop by for a sneak peek behind the iron/wisteria curtain! #louisvillelove

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