II. Relocating of the Whatcoat Street Stables

A. In April of 1996 the Whatcoat Street Stables located in the 1900 block of Whatcoat Street in Baltimore City were condemned. Because the owner had previously been ordered to sell his property to make way for the Sandtown/Winchester urban renewal project, it was not deemed worthwhile to repair that building.

B. Volunteers gathered together and renovated one wing of another existing stable located at 112 (Rear) South Carlton Street in the city of Baltimore by:

1. Removing the old roof including rafters, stalls, and flooring.

2. Installing all new materials to create new stalls with a new tin roof, new wiring, plumbing and flooring including new paint and hanging geraniums.

3. This area accommodated all working animals and physical accoutrements previously housed at the Whatcoat Street Stables and allowed the arabbers to ply their trade without missing one day's work.

1. A grant was awarded to A.P.S., Inc. by Preservation Maryland in August 1996 for the work done on this property.

III. Farrier Assistance and Apprenticeship Program

A. In August of 1995 a farrier (blacksmith) was located to help Baltimore's arabbers find low-cost reliable hoof care for their horses.

B. The Executive Board began to meet with this farrier at the Carlton Street Stable every week on a regular basis. All horses are brought to this site and cared for there.

C. A.P.S., Inc. subsidizes 1/3 of the expenses incurred as well as providing an anvil, forge and other materials. This has been a highly successful program.

1. A grant was sought through the Job Training Partnership Act in May of 1995 to assist two young arabbers who seek to learn the art of blacksmithing as a career. The school chosen was the Oklahoma Farrier College in Sperry, Oklahoma.

IV. Veterinarian Program

A. In July of 1996 the Executive Board initiated with the approval of the Board of Directors a veterinary assistance program for the arabber's horses. An emergency fund was established to aid in any situation where emergency treatment was necessary.

1. Procurement of an independent equine veterinarian was sought as a supplement to the regular annual examinations of the horses and to provide an unbiased assessment of the health of these animals and the conditions in which they are housed.

1. Inspection of the animals and stables still in operation is currently on-going.

V. Arabber Museum

A. In August of 1996 an historic stable was purchased by A.P.S., Inc. The building is located at 940-44 Lemmon Street in the city of Baltimore.

B. Plans include complete restoration of the property and adjacent lots for the purposes of housing tack, harness, and cart/carriage displays open for the general public and educate them about the history and traditional folk-life of the arabbers.

1. Live farrier demonstrations, wagon and wheel wrighting and repairs on active arabber equipment also will be open to the general public on a regular basis.

VI. History Display for the City Life Museum

A. In February of 1996 Treasurer Dan Van Allen restored a wagon for the City Life Museum to add to the new wing of their facility. A.P.S., Inc. also put on loan a Baltimore "fancy harness" and provided descriptions of same.

B. In April of 1996 members of the Executive Board and others helped organize an exhibit for the City Life Museum festival including a vendors hollering (calling ) contest and a guided lecture tour of the Carlton Street Stables.

C. Our Arabber Center at 1102 North Fremont(behind the Avenue Market) partially functions as a living history museum. Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5 pm, weather permitting, the public is invited to see the arabbers in action, hitching up and harnessing horses and ponies and loading produce for their daily rounds.

Manager George Rich will explain the ins and outs of arabbing and answer any questions. Parking is available at the Avenue Market.

VII. Meetings with the Mayor

A. In November 1995 the Executive Board and others met with Mayor Kurt Schmoke to discuss the role of our organization, the relocation of the Whatcoat Street Stables, and problems with Baltimore City Animal Control investigations. Annual meetings are planned.

1. Meetings with Animal Control

A. In September 1995 the Executive Board and others initiated meetings with Baltimore City Animal Control and the Health Department of Baltimore City to discuss local ordinances, inspection procedures, and proposed changes in current regulations as well as the role of A.P.S., Inc. with respect to routine inspections.

1. Our organization is in perpetual contact with these agencies.

IX. Meetings with Baltimore City Housing and Community Development

A. In October of 1995 members of the Executive Board and others met with Eric Holcomb of the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation Baltimore City, Elaine Eff, cultural preservationist, Maryland Historical Trust, and Alicia Shephard, Director, HCD for West Baltimore to discuss the role of the Arabbers in the Sandtown/ Winchester urban renewal program.

B. Other meetings are planned to discuss relocation money due the businesses displaced.

X. Civic Activities

A. A.P.S., Inc. coordinates participation in various city and state-wide events including annual parades, marches and festivals. Honors in the Preakness Parade, Thanksgiving Day Parade, I Am An American Day Parade, and the Smithsonian Folk-Life Festival for the past 24 years.

XI. Meetings with Neighborhood Design Center

A. In December 1995 members of the Executive Board met with Nicole Blumner of NDC and secured pro-bono design and marketing help. Plans were drawn for two possible relocation sites in the Sandtown/Winchester area. A new logo and marketing brochure were also designed.

1. Copyright permission was granted for reproduction of text and photo-graphical material from the book "Arabbers of Baltimore" by the author Roland Freeman. This is the most complete work to date on this subject.

XII. Meetings with Baltimore City Department of Parks and Recreation

A. In January 1996 members of the Executive Board met with Janet Parker of PAR to discuss children's tours of arabber stables that will begin in June 1997.

B. Further discussions have been instrumental in establishing a large animal husbandry program for inner-city youth which began in March of that year. This is an on-going program that will be expanded.

XIII. Documentary Film Project

A. In March of 1996 members of the Executive Board met with Kathleen Kotarba and Eric Holcomb both from the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation.

Baltimore City, Elaine Eff, cultural preservationist, Maryland Historic Trust, Reggie Daniels, Local 644 Film Producers Union and others to discuss and implement a script for production of a ten minute "treatment" to be used as a marketing vehicle for a larger project. A start date of August-November 1997 was planned.

On September 9, 2004 The Film Foundry released Scott Kecken and Joy Lusco Kecken's "We Are Arabbers", a documentary interviewing and following arabbers as they struggle to make a living and maintain their unique culture. Contact The Film Foundry, Inc, foundry4ge@aol.com - www.filmfoundry.com - 443-690-5651

XIV. Registration of Arabber Stables as Historically Significant Sites

XV. Other Activities

A. This includes seeking a reprinting of Roland Freeman's book, "Arabbers of Baltimore".

B. Also meetings are planned by the Executive Board with:

1. Society for the Preservation of Maryland Antiquities

2. Maryland Historical Society

3. Maryland Historic Trust

4. Heritage Baltimore

C. In July of 1996 A.P.S., Inc. was contacted by Scott Bullock for the Institute For Justice in Washington, DC and asked to participate in a study from Harvard University's Kennedy Law School concerning entry-level entrepreneur opportunities in the urban environment and the effect of restrictive rules, regulations, and ordinances on these types of micro-enterprises. The study is available.

D. Media Access

1. A.P.S., Inc. facilitates access to the arabbers for the purposes of educating the general public about this African-American folk tradition. Coverage has included:

a. Cable News Network

b. All Things Considered

c. Monitor Radio

d. The Philadelphia Inquirer

e. The Chicago Sun-Times

f. The Baltimore Sun

g. The City Paper (Baltimore Chapter)

h. The New York Times

i. WNET (New York) Public Television series "Imaging America"

j. The Afro-American

k. The Associated Press

j. As a direct result of our web page, participation in the first ever "24 Hours of the Internet" in which photographers from all over the world chose subjects that were put on the internet within hours of being digitally photographed and interviewed. The arabbers were chosen as one out of literally hundreds of subjects from around the world.

k. All local network stations have also been given full access.

1. In February of 1996 President Steven A. Blake was invited to speak at the 3rd annual Public Market Conference in Philadelphia. This conference covers markets and market systems all over the world, down to the street level vendor. A presentation about Arabbing was given and memberships sought. Alot of information was gathered on community revitalization through public market systems and grass root efforts for strengthening neighborhoods. This is held once every four years.

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Property Acquisition and Dues