Harvey Smith People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group P.O. Box 1234 Berkeley, CA 74701-1234
Re: People’s Park, Berkeley, CA, and Make UC a Good Neighbor v. Regents of the University of California, No. S279242
Dear Mr. Smith,
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (“National Trust”) wishes to express our support for the preservation of historic People’s Park in Berkeley, California. People’s Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as nationally significant for its association with student protests and countercultural activities during the 1960s. The National Register of Historic Places is fundamentally a land-use planning tool that is intended to help prevent the loss of and harm to historic resources, and People’s Park’s inclusion on it should encourage just such a positive outcome. The National Trust is committed to advocating for significant historic places like People’s Park, and we hope that our support helps emphasize the national significance of People’s Park and the importance of exploring all possible opportunities for its preservation.
The National Trust was chartered by Congress in 1949 as a private charitable, educational, and nonprofit organization to “facilitate public participation” in historic preservation, and to further the purposes of federal historic preservation laws. See 54 U.S.C. § 312102(a). With over one million members and supporters, the National Trust works to protect significant historic places and to advocate for historic preservation as a fundamental value in programs and policies at all levels of government. In addition, the Chairman of the National Trust has been designated by Congress as a member of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (“ACHP”), which is responsible for overseeing federal agency compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, id. §§ 304101(8), 304108(a).
One of the National Trust’s core areas of advocacy is the defense of local, state, and federal historic preservation laws. We understand that the People’s Park Historic Advocacy Group is currently involved in a lawsuit challenging, among other things, the inadequate analysis of alternatives under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The National Trust wishes to express our support for the full exploration of all potential alternatives that result in the preservation of People’s Park. The exploration of alternatives is a core protection provided to historic places by CEQA. For projects that are not dependent on a single location, such as the proposed construction of student housing, a robust alternatives analysis can often identify superior win-win solutions that allow both preservation and new construction. We hope that just such a solution can be identified that enables both the construction of new student housing in Berkeley and the preservation of People’s Park.
The National Trust would be happy to work with the People’s Park Historic Advocacy Group to help envision historic preservation opportunities at People’s Park and to advocate for its preservation. People’s Park is a unique historic place that is integral to the story of both Berkeley and the nation, and the National Trust supports the work that the Advocacy Group is doing to prevent its destruction. Please feel free to share this expression of our support in any way that may be helpful, and we look forward to continuing to work with your organization.
Sincerely,
Rob Nieweg Senior Vice-President Preservation Services & Outreach
Elizabeth S. Merritt Deputy General Counsel
Chris Cody Associate General Counsel
600 14th Street NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005 E law@savingplaces.org P 202.588.6035 F 202.588.6038 SavingPlaces.org
The People’s Park Council sent out a text alert today, December 30, at 1:30 pm. It is a “heads up” for imminent attack on People’s Park. (Background info: Several sources have warned the call is out for a large number of police to be at the Park, 5 am, Tuesday January 2.) The People’s Park community refers people to the www.peoplespark.org web site, and also announces a December 31 Noon meeting at People’s Park for all to organize for park defense. Note: Please keep your phone ringer on especially on the night of January 1, 2024.
Text SAVETHEPARK to 41372 — and share this number! If possible, disable your phone’s “Do Not Disturb” for the first week of January to ensure you get nighttime alerts.
People’s Park 54th Anniversary (in memory of Michael Delacour) Sunday, April 23, 2023, 11 AM to 7 PM
Climate Event, Yukon Hannibal and Drummers, Welcome by Eddie and talk about Michael, Jordan Huez, Speakers, Hali Hammer and Randy Berge, Max Ventura, dress, and George Franklin, Marika Sage, Speakers, Moth Morgue, Speakers – Aidan Hill, Cheryl Davila, others, Driftwood Dave duo, Speakers – Alan Haber, Odile Hugonot, others, Evelie Delfino Såles Posch, Carol Denney, Speakers, Afterthought, Andrea Mallis, astrologer, FiLTHMiLK, Speakers – Russell Bates and others, Andrea Prichett group, Speakers, Jazmin, Speakers, Gurschach, Closing
11:00-12:00: Climate Event 12:00-12:30: Yukon Hannibal and Drummers 12:30-12:40: Welcome by Eddie and talk about Michael 12:40-12:55: Jordan Huez 12:55-1:10: Speakers 1:10-1:25: Evelie Delfino Såles Posch 1:25-1:35: Max Ventura, dress, and George Franklin 1:35-1:50: Marika Sage 1:50-2:05: Speakers 2:05-2:20: Moth Morgue 2:20-2:35: Speakers – Aidan Hill, Cheryl Davila, others 2:35-2:50: Driftwood Dave duo 2:50-3:05: Speakers – Alan Haber, Odile Hugonot, others 3:05-3:20: Hali Hammer and Randy Berge 3:20-3:35: Carol Denney 3:35-3:50: Speakers 3:50-4:05: Afterthought 4:05-4:15: Andrea Mallis, astrologer 4:15-4:45: FiLTHMiLK 4:45-5:00: Speakers – Russ and others 5:00-5:15: Andrea Prichett group 5:15-5:30: Speakers 5:30-6:00: Jazmin 6:00-6:15: Speakers 6:15-6:45: Gurschach 6:45-7:00: Closing
We hope to see people from many organizations as we work toward long term stewardship and maintenance of the park in perpetuity. This is to build an inclusive community wide planning and working group to revitalize our park and to create a commons for all.
SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1–4 PM Community Meeting Room in Berkeley Central Library 2090 Kittredge Street, Berkeley, CA 94704
54th Anniversary Celebration: We are Peoples Park! Berkeley, CA
Michael Delacour visioning the future of People’s Park — photo: Nacio Jan BrownMichael Delacour circa 1970 — photo: Nacio Jan BrownMichael Delacour speaks at a student organization gathering at People’s Park – photo: Harold AdlerMichael Delacour and friends at People’s Park – photo: Harold AdlerMichael Delacour speaking to students at People’s ParkMichael Delacour talking with police officer in People’s ParkGina and Dusk DelacourGina dancing with cat in arms in the sunshine at a People’s Park eventMichael Delacour and Gina at People’s Park eventPeople’s Park gathering on the sunny lawn for music and speakersWave Gravy clowning around at People’s Park eventMichael Delacour and Matt at Free Box construction in People’s ParkMichael Delacour and Charles Gary at Free Box construction in People’s ParkMichael Delacour at Free Box construction at People’s Park
It is with great sadness that we’re sharing the news that Michael Delacour, one of the founders of People’s Park, died Thursday, March 9, 2023.
From Odile Hugonot Haber, who lived with Michael for 6-1/2 years in the 1980s, and who shared some pre-People’s Park history:
Michael Delacour was born in San Diego. His mother I think was born in England.
Maybe her father, Michael’s grandfather lived on the cliff of San Diego in a big house.
He was a Professor of art, maybe had been involved in prints. He had been brought from England by the University of San Diego.
His mother Jean maybe, married his father, maybe a student then. He had bought a fishing boat. He He loved fishing in the sea, and they lived on money inherited from the grandfather. Michael remembered going on his boat with him. His father died of a heart attack and his mother was a widow, with 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls.
Michael was recruited or sent to the national guard as a youth. Then he told me that he worked in a giant Naval factory in San Diego that built missiles. He thought it was amazing how many people worked there together in this giant workplace. He learned working there with other people. He got married very young to Leslie and they had 3 children Kathy, Vanessa and David.
When his work sent him to work elsewhere, his wife left him, and met a German man.
Michael was heartbroken and got very depressed and took care of his 3 children.
He was depressed and they gave him shock treatment therapy. It was very hard for him.
Then he went to Berkeley just when the anti-war movement got started. He became a boiler maker and was very active in the boilermaker union. He got active in the antiwar Vietnam peace movement and when the Free Speech movement started moving to People’s Park. He got involved with the Park. He had an important role in the creation of the People’s Park.
For most of his life he watched People’s Park and was very active in it. He was generally very active politically and once he ran to be mayor of Berkeley. He had a different slogan posted high on telephone polls, they were silk screen or painted.
He was part of the Rank and File coalition and wrote articles in the Rank and File’s news,
Michael always regretted his lack of education and felt slighted by it. Michael believed in direct action and was good at it.
From Max Ventura:
Michael and I met as part of Campaign Against Apartheid, which intersected a lot with the park and the larger movement, and Odile and Michael and I were part of the Homeless Direct Action Collective (HDAC, pronounced headache), a true headache for the politicians in town. Based in the park, we did two occupations of Provo Park, what now is referred to as Civic Center Park: Loniville, and Loniville 2 to demand the City help those on the streets. Yup.. back in the mid-80’s. Getting no action via the city, we took to squatting houses which had been vacant for years, some 10-15. Many privately owned.. land speculation… but many city-owned. Michael, with all his skills, got water and electricity going. We used to joke that we had luxury squats. He also brokered an arrangement with one of our large squats, 2 units, so that it was able to be a squat fairly longterm. While many of our squats were very public to press the political choices politicians were making, we all and Michael also supported quiet squats, to simply allow people indoor shelter. Michael always related not only to the working class, but the most vulnerable in our society, and always was ready to go, chomping at the bit, to take direct action to make a society for all.
Michael was struck by how all those workers in the missile factory worked together as a team, in that case to help facilitate death, but he took that knowledge of the power of working together and recast it as part of the anti-war movement, and the building of People’s Park. If he’s looking down now, he’d probably be yelling at us all as we write about him, calling us elitists because we can write. How many times he yelled that at me when he wasn’t asking me to write something and then when I reminded him I have exactly zero plumbing or electrical or mechanical skills which he used all the time in the movement, he’d nod. Often, the next moment he’d be chuckling, glad to be recognized for his invaluable skills and work. Only a couple years ago when there was water backing up in pipes to the park, he was out there leading a few of us in trying to pinpoint the source of the issue. Always hands-on. “Everyone Gets a Blister!”
Michael was about DOing, not just talking, and that is, perhaps, his most important legacy. People’s Park is his legacy. People around the world are inspired by it. We look forward to our celebrating him further April 23rd at our 54th anniversary!
From Isis Feral:
I met Michael when I was a teenager in the Campaign Against Apartheid in the mid-1980s. Another example of Michael fighting on behalf of the oppressed was more recently when, together with his late wife Gina, he joined my dad and me in court to advocate for the release of one of our family members, who had been incarcerated in a psychiatric institution, where she was being forcibly drugged, and threatened with conservatorship. Thanks to their determined solidarity, we were able to bring her home that day.
From Lisa Teague:
This 2018 article by Tom Dalzell has a lot of old photos and information about Delacour family history, as well as Park history:
We dedicate this year’s People’s Park 54th Anniversary to Michael Delacour as a celebration of his life and work.
Michael Delacour Presente!
Help Dusk Delacour, Michael Delacour’s son with a contribution
A GoFundMe account has been created to help pay for the costs of Michael Delacour’s cremation, memorial and to help his son, Dusk, to get set up in a new location. Please give what you can and help spread the word. In this way, may we honor our comrades and each other. https://gofund.me/dfff700c
This 2018 article by Tom Dalzell has a lot of old photos and information about Delacour family history, as well as Park history.
On January 12, 2023 the Court of Appeal heard Oral Arguments on the CEQA case of Make UC a Good Neighbor and People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group VS the Regents of the University of California. There were not any points in the arguments of either side that were different than the briefs and supporting letters that had previously been submitted by the parties. The attorney/justices interaction was very interesting. The entire 82 minute hearing is at:
For us interested in preserving People’s Park as an open space in perpetuity the hearing is very reassuring. The UC lawyer tried to gain traction for their contention that the “revitalization” (read destruction) of the park was always the core goal of Housing Project #2 and therefore the Environmental Impact Report had no obligation to analyze other alternate sites for that housing because only by building on People’s Park could the project revitalize the park. Justice Burns was especially unaccepting of this claim and interrupted and contradicted their lawyer continuously. In short, it would be very surprising if we don’t win on the alternative site issue, which would mean the EIR has to be redone.
The other meaningful exchange was about the issue of noise. Our contention that Housing Project #2 would have a significant negative impact on noise levels in the neighborhood because of the common occurrence of student parties is being critiqued as a “social” impact as opposed to an environmental impact. UC claims that the burden of predicting, analyzing and mitigating for these kinds of social noise is discriminatory and that it will delay or stop new building projects. Even the Chief Justice Terri Jackson asked about the possibility of a new building for a church being made to analyze the effect of tambourine shaking.
Our lawyer made the point that noise is noise. He also made the point that the fair argument standard should be applied. Finally he noted that anti-discrimination law is an established means by which any environmental impact can be evaluated.
This question of whether social impacts should be included in CEQA suits is complex and can be looked at from many angles. It seem to be the way developers and their political allies are going to attempt to weaken or throw out CEQA.
Those who are fighting to save People’s Park should know that it has a special meaning for “black” people, and not just those who find there a place to live safely amid nature wonders; eat free, healthy food; find clothing; get substance abuse and psychological counseling referrals; develop or rediscover the bonds of community that have always been a central part of “black” Berkeley’s culture; and help to heal their souls.
That’s because the origin of the park was memorialized in one of Marvin Gaye’s greatest hits.
As is well known, in 1967 Buffalo Springfield recorded the classic “For What It’s Worth” to make sure that the country would never forget the infamous November 1966 Sunset Strip curfew “riot,” where the Los Angeles police brutally cracked down on counterculture revelers:
Sadly, well less known is the fact that the even more infamous May 1969 National Guard-police crackdown on the young radicals who had erected and begun to develop People’s Park as a freed/free space was memorialized by Obie Benson, a member of the popular Four Tops group of Detroit’s Motown, who later gave it to his superstar colleague Marvin Gaye. This story is told here at the bottom of the page:
So, the next time that you hear or sing “What’s Going On?” remember that Gaye is singing about People’s Park. Indeed, if he were alive today, he could well pose the same question to UC Berkeley and the city’s administration, and particularly to its “black” city manager!
