A museum and cultural center that would be housed in the historic former Carver High School in Phoenix, which was built exclusively for African-Americans during the period of enforced segregation, would receive a $200,000 boost in funding under legislation approved Wednesday by the U.S. House of Representatives, announced Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz. The former high school at 415 E. Grant Street is undergoing restoration as the new George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center. It is dedicated to preserving the African-American culture in Phoenix. The funding would be used to assist with completing the restoration project, which includes a museum, art gallery, and multipurpose spaces, Pastor said. "The Carver High School restoration is enhancing opportunities for Valley residents and all Arizonans to learn, experience, and share in the diverse cultural heritage of Africans and African Americans," Pastor said. The funding was approved by the House Wednesday in the 2008 Interior-Environment Appropriations bill. The bill now moves to the Senate. Carver High School was built in 1926 and is one of the few remaining structures in Phoenix built exclusively for African Americans during the period of enforced segregation from 1912 to 1954. The building is listed on the national, state and city of Phoenix historic registers.
