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Rosa Parks & Bernard Watson JUNE 2017 | SCENE 87 on the town neighborhood bringing people into this exclusive and very wealthy area where they had homes that looked like hotels. They wouldn’t let us raise money. So the foundations said, “We can’t give you money because you can’t raise enough money to operate.” But then out of the blue, we had two visionaries. Pew Charitable Trust and Gerry Lenfest and a third donor, Mrs. Annenberg from the Annenberg Foundation, who volunteered to help. We went to court and asked for two things. First, being able to expand the board from five to 15 people who had money and could help us get money. Second, which took us another year, to get permission to move. Eventually we built a $150 million building that was paid for and had no mortgage where we could house the collection downtown near the Rodin Museum in Philadelphia, which is considered America’s Champs- Elysees. That’s where Mr. Barnes’ fabulous art collection is located. The greatest accomplishment is just that. We put it where people could see it and appreciate it and see it the way Mr. Barnes wanted it seen. As an example, people came up to me and said, “Wow. You cleaned the art.” We hadn’t touch the art. The only difference was we had windows there and we could see the art in the natural light. Many people came up to me, often some of the most vociferous in opposition during the process, and said, “You did the right thing. You were right.” We have now passed one million visitors since we opened in the new location. Who are some of your heroes? My mother and father. They’re my biggest heroes. Because of the way they lived their lives and the way they raised us. How did you find your way to Sarasota? One of my former students used to come here and play tennis at The Colony and relax. He told me to come down to Sarasota. We were thinking of the Virgin Islands, but we came down a couple times and met some folks from Philadelphia who raved about it. It’s laid back. What we found out is that it The Watsons with President Obama Coretta Scott King & Dr. Bernard Watson was really a cultural center. At the time, the Jazz Club of Sarasota brought in all the top people and I do like my jazz. We talked about it and I did what any intelligent husband does. I said to my wife. “You decide.” That’s how you stay happily married for 56 years. (Smiles)  How do you and your wife like to spend the day?  My wife is very active here in a number of organizations, especially the West Coast Black Theatre Troupe. So we spend a lot of time going to shows there.  Is it safe to say that music has always been a big part of your life? Yes, absolutely. (Picks up photo) That’s me — Bernard Watson and his Hungry Five — our band from the military service during the Korean War. This was taken at the officer’s club. (Laughs) We didn’t let anybody in unless they could play an instrument. Music was and always has been important to me and my family.  Many years from now when someone brings up the name Dr. Bernard Watson, what is the first thing you hope they say about you? My family. He was a family man. I have two children. My daughter Barbara was a lawyer. A tennis player. Fluent in French and Spanish. Fearless. She died of breast cancer at 44, which she discovered herself. She went through all the stuff for two years. She knew she was going to die and wrote a play about cancer called “Life in the Cancer Lane” while she was dying. Her friends put together a foundation when she died and they carry it on today focusing on giving — something called “Barb’s Bags” to help cancer patients. In that bag are all the things that people need who are going through chemo. Barbara discovered what she needed because she had gone through chemo and radiation. Those bags cost $50 and are given to cancer patients in cities where the play is performed. It was performed twice in Sarasota at the West Coast Black Theatre Troupe last year. She was a wonderful person and her beautiful legacy continues. Yes, I’m very proud of family. They mean everything to me.


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