Letter to Mayor Wheeler

 Unit 1134 Bremerton Branch  

P.O. Box 1204  

Bremerton, WA 98337 

Phone: 360-286-1788 

 Email: naacpbremerton@yahoo.com 

May 9, 2024 

Greetings Mayor Greg Wheeler, 

I am writing to you to express the importance of preserving the historical contributions of our African  American community members in Kitsap County. Black History is and continues to be an important part  of American History. Many African Americans have made significant contributions to the history of this  country in the areas of civil rights, science, cultural arts, music, innovation, education as well as many  more. Kitsap County is rich with African American community members that have made consequential  contributions which have paved the path for others as well as making our community a better place for  all. 

It is immensely important to ensure the contributions and sacrifices of our historical African American community members be preserved and displayed for all to share as well as educate our community of  their contributions. Mrs. Karen Vargas of Leadership Living Life Leadership and Living Arts Cultural  

Heritage has been working diligently over many years to preserve the historical contributions of our  African American community members which dates back over a century. Currently a substantial portion of this History is being stored at Evergreen Community College, Tacoma Campus. NAACP Unit 1134  Bremerton thanks Mrs. Vargas for her efforts in preserving this valuable History. We believe it is  imperative this Historical information be stored and displayed where it began, here in Bremerton. 

NAACP Unit 1134 is requesting your partnership to make this a reality. We are asking our Mayor’s  Office to collaborate with our community leaders, other local government officials and municipalities to explore, pursue and designate funding to not only store this information in Kitsap County but procure a  facility to display this important piece of Kitsap County history. We will be reaching out to all of our  local leaders and municipalities to foster a collaborative effort to address this request.  

We look forward to your response which we will be sharing with the community. Regards,  

Robert Harris  

President • NAACP Unit 1134 • Bremerton • president@naacpbremerton.org