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Celebrating self-expression as a basic human right essential for the healthy growth of youth, individuals and communities COMMUNITY ARTS ADVOCATES, INC. Stephen H. Baird, Founder and Executive Director PO Box 300112, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130-0030 Like the FaceBook page for blog
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The History and Cultural Impact of Street Performing in America
© Stephen H. Baird 1999-2021
The following little historical references are just a glimpse of the depth and breadth of the creative spirit of the human race that blossoms on the street corners, market places, subway platforms and any other place people gather.
Eureka, CA Legal Battle 2016-2018
Oscar Leatherman, a guitar player and singer, is challenging Eureka, California anti panhandling solicitation ordinance in the Northern District California Federal Court. Oscar Leatherman wrote a song about the issue “A Good Chameleon’s Hard to Find (On a Thin Blue Line).” Video of Oscar performing on location on Broadway at Eureka Natural Foods : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk2l2S9IT4M
Listen to some of Oscar's recent recordings here:
- https://bannedunited.bandcamp.com/track/a-good-chameleons-hard-to-find-special-epd-tribute-jam
- https://soundcloud.com/simonlebunn
Summary of the legal battle:
- April, 2016, Anti Panhandling Solicitation ordinance passed by Eureka.
- May 13, 2016, Leatherman confronted near a street corner across from Eureka Natural Foods by police Sgt. Rodrigo Reyna-Sanchez
- June 20, 2017, Police Officer Neil Hubbard gave Leatherman a ticket for solicitation and treaten to arrest him and impond his guitar
- September 5, 2017, Leatherman threatened with arrest and receives second ticket for busking
- Video of September 5, 2017 police action by National Communications Federation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp1XlviiZ94&feature=youtu.be
- September 28, 2017, Northern District Federal Court case filed
- Court Complaint filed by Peter E. Martin, SBN 121672 peter@martinmacklaw.com and Shelley K. Mack, SBN 209596 shelley@martinmacklaw.com Martin & Mack LLP PDF HERE
- Court House News story "Musician Leads Fight Against Panhandling Ban in Humboldt County" by NICHOLAS IOVINO September 29, 2017, on lawsuit https://www.courthousenews.com/musician-leads-fight-panhandling-ban-humboldt-county/
- North Coast Journal "Strumming Up a Case" by Linda Stansberry, August 31, 2017 Local troubadour lead plaintiff in Eureka panhandling challenge https://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/strumming-up-a-case/Content?oid=5953575
- Eureka Times-Standard "Eureka panhandling restrictions challenged in federal court" by Will Houston, September 29, 2017 http://www.times-standard.com/article/NJ/20170929/NEWS/170929781
- January 21, 2018, Oscar Leatherman Changes It: Musician Oscar Leatherman and his attorney discuss a court challenge to Eureka's Aggressive Panhandling Ordinance video interview by John Hardin on January 21, 2018 https://archive.org/details/AH-oscar_leatherman_changes_it
- February 21, 2019 - Northern District Federal Court Judge Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr. denied Eureka, CA attempt to dismiss the Busker panhandling attempted arrest case. Ruling opinion very favorable to Oscar Leatherman. PDF of Decision HERE
Street Arts and Buskers Advocates
- Introduction, Background and Services
- Street Arts Advocates Email List
- Code of Ethics
- Legal Issues
- Legal Court Citations article by Stephen Baird
- Goldstein v. Town of Nantucket, 477 F. Supp., 606, (1979)
- Davenport v Alexandria, VA 683 F2d 853 (1983), 710 F2d 148 (1983), 748 F2d 208 (1984)
- Friedrich v Chicago 619 F. Supp., 1129. (D.C. Ill 1985)
- Carew-Reid v. Metropolitan Transportation Auth., 903 F2d 914 (2nd Cir. 1990) (Subway)
- Jews for Jesus v. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (1991) (Subway)
- Bery v. New York, 97 F. 3d 684 (2d Cir. 1996)
- Turley v. NYC 988 F.Supp, 667 & 675 (1997). See US 2nd Cir Appeal 98-7114 (1999)
- Perry v. LAPD, US 9th Cir Appeals 96-55545 (1997)
- Horton v. St. Augustine, Florida US 11th Cir Appeal No. 00-16220 (2001)
- Christopher Mastrovincinzo (a.k.a. "MASTRO"), and Kevin Santos (a.k.a. "NAC" OR "NAK") v NEW YORK CITY 313 F SUPP 2D 280 (2004)
- Boston Legal Battle 1972-on
- Boston MBTA Subway Legal Battle 1986-on
- Cambridge Legal Battle 1973-on
- Alexandria, Virginia Legal Battle 1982-1984
- Baltimore, Maryland Legal Battle 2002 on
- Chicago Legal Battle 1982-on
- Eureka, California legal case
- Kansas City Legal Battle
- New Orleans Legal Battle
- New York City Street Entertainers 1700 to 2011 and beyond
- Provincetown, Massachusetts Street Performers
- Saint Augustine, Florida Legal Battle
- Saint Louis, MO
- Salt Lake City, Utah Legal Battle
- Santa Cruz, California Legal Battle 1978-2003
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Seattle, WA 1974 on
- Spokane, WA Legal Battle
- Waikiki Street Performers Win Lawsuit 2002
- Wilmington, North Carolina Legal Battle
- The Malling of America: The Selling of America's Public Parks and Streets--The Economic Censorship and Suppression of First Amendment Rights article by Stephen Baird
- Amplification Ethics article by Stephen Baird
- Model Regulations introduction and three samples
- Performance Locations
- History and Cultural Impact of Street Performing in America
- Avenues of Self Expression article by Stephen Baird
- Ben Franklin on the Streets of Boston in 1718
- Busking in Colonial Williamsburg in 1738
- Rope Walking from Church Steeple in 1757
- Patrick Henry and Sam Adams on the Revolutionary Streets
- Nathaniel Hawthorne "All vagrants are interesting"
- Boston Street Music 1869
- Irving Berlin to George Burns--Immigrants Fill The Streets With Music
- Bessie Smith, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Eubie Blake, Reverend Gary Davis, Louis Armstrong and the African American Diaspora on the Streets
- Mayor La Guardia Bans Street Music in New York City in 1935
- Hurdy-gurdy man Marino Persechini in Boston 1899-1974
- Street Artists in Fine Arts Paintings, Photographs and Films
- Books and References
- Women Street Performers and Sexual Safety By Kirsten Anderberg
- History and Cultural Impact of Street Performing International
- Links and References
- Street and Vaudeville Artists Directory Data Base
- Women Buskers of Boston
- Street Artists Photo-Journalism Project
For translations into different languages -- Arabic, Chinese, Italian, French, German, Russian, Spanish or others visit the web site: http://babel.altavista.com
Copyright © 1999-2021 by Stephen Baird
