City council denies permit to turn former home of Oretha Castle Haley into a museum
28th October 2024 · 0 Comments
By John Gray
Contributing Writer
(Veritenews.org) — The New Orleans City Council voted to deny a conditional use permit to a woman who wanted to turn the childhood home of civil rights icon Oretha Castle Haley into a museum at a contentious discussion on Thursday (Oct. 24).
Emotions ran high in the chamber while the council considered whether to grant the permit to Candice Henderson, as community members weighed in – both in support and opposition – for over an hour before the council voted. The issue was initially brought before the council at a regular meeting two weeks ago (Oct. 10), but was deferred to last Thursday’s meeting.
At the end, only one councilmember – Eugene Green – came down on Henderson’s side. All five other members who were present voted against the permit. (Councilmember Lesli Harris was absent for the vote.)
Haley’s son, Michael Haley – who has sued Henderson alongside his two brothers and his son, claiming she is illegally exploiting the civil rights leader’s legacy – said it was a “great day” because of the council’s decision.
“We feel … optimistic that the law prevailed, history prevailed,” Haley said. “My mom’s legacy will be honored in the way that her descendants choose to honor it.”
The property at 917-919 North Tonti St. belonged to Virgie and John Castle, Oretha’s parents. At the house, she organized with the Freedom Riders in 1961 and co-founded the New Orleans chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality.
Henderson, a Chicago native, acquired the property in 2021 and sought to turn the home into a museum to honor New Orleans’ civil rights history. But the Haley family disagreed with her usage of Oretha’s name as part of the museum and filed suit last year, alleging that Henderson was violating the Allen Toussaint Legacy Act, a 2022 state law that prevents the unauthorized use of an individual’s name, image and likeness without consent from the individual or representatives of the individual. In 2023, an Orleans Parish Civil District Court judge granted a temporary restraining order against Henderson, prohibiting her from using Oretha Castle Haley’s name, image or likeness. The case has not yet gone to trial.
Henderson, who is appealing the issuance of the TRO and claims that the Haleys have misinterpreted the law, continued to pursue the civil rights museum idea.
After the vote, Henderson left the council chambers with friends, declining to comment.
Bill Aaron, Henderson’s attorney, said they will appeal the council’s decision in court.
Now that the council has voted, “we get to immediately go to Civil District Court to appeal the decision,” Aaron said. “We’re happy that there was a vote. Our fear was that there would not be a vote.”
District D Councilmember Eugene Green added an amendment to the motion that would allow Henderson to operate the museum, while ensuring that she honors the permanent injunction against using Oretha Castle Haley’s image, likeness or legacy.
A permanent injunction has not yet been granted in the case, only a temporary restraining order. So Green’s amendment would have allowed Henderson to use Oretha Castle Haley’s name and likeness if she ultimately prevails in court.
Councilmember JP Morrell voiced opposition to the notion that the museum could operate – even without the use of her name and likeness – without the family’s blessing.
“There’s a reason why the legislature passed the Allen Toussaint Act,” Morrell said. “There is a right way to do things. You have to interact with the people, the family, the descendants, the people involved in that story. And it is evident right now that it’s not happening.”
Joseph Cuiller, co-founder of The Black School, spoke in support of the motion, saying it gives the community a chance to educate young people in the community about their civil rights leaders. The Black School, a nonprofit focused on art and community activism, has partnered with Friends of the Freedom House in the past to bring young people face-to-face with people who participated in the Civil Rights Movement.
“We talk about legacy,” Cuiller said. “Legacy is about practice. [If] we don’t teach these young people this practice, we’re gonna lose it all.”
This article originally published in the October 28, 2024 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
