The Fort Wayne Committee of the Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program will honor Fort Wayne’s pioneer African-American homebuilder, Roosevelt Barnes Sr., the evening of Sept. 26 at Destiny Life Center, 3601 Warsaw St. The celebration will highlight the lifework and heritage of Barnes as well as ongoing efforts to preserve the architectural history of African Americans in Fort Wayne.
Barnes Sr. designed and built upscale homes for Black families in Fort Wayne’s south side from 1957-1970s in the area now known as the Southern Heights subdivision. “This was no small feat for a Black businessman in the 1950s,” said Roberta Ridley, chairwoman of the African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne (AAGSFW). “Many people don’t know this important history, and we want to preserve and recognize him and his contributions to Fort Wayne.” The celebration will include an overview of the more than two dozen homes and churches built by Barnes, plus stories of past and current homeowners and updates on historic designations for the homes.