The Memorial will address the erasure of the African American experience from historical narratives and cultural representation by recognizing and rectifying historical injustices, amplifying African American voices and stories, and ensuring their contributions are recognized and celebrated. This recognition is essential for fostering a more inclusive and accurate understanding of history.
Inspired by the unearthing of the remains of 95 black inmates at a former prison cemetery in Sugarland, Texas, this project seeks to create a public space of reverence, celebration, and storytelling of the impact of the devastating convict leasing program. It aims to establish a cultural and heritage destination that celebrates, pays homage to, and narrates the stories related to the state's past convict leasing program, various injustices, and the significant role played by Black citizens and to educate all about the African diaspora.
The park's design is an opportunity to transform 14 acres of the existing Bates M. Allen Park into this cultural destination. The design approach involves formalizing and connecting existing historic black cemeteries and incorporating new site interventions, including an arrivals mall featuring a Juneteenth Plaza, a notable 40-foot-tall monument, and a reflecting pond designed to one day accommodate a replica lynching placard from the Equal Justice Institute in Montgomery, Alabama.
Our vision was a monument that acknowledges the racial inequity caused by slavery in the diaspora through an emphasis on fragmentation. The memorial and landscape are fragmented in that elements that constitute the experience of Africans in the Americas are presented and grounded in spatial and geometric design strategies, such as the project's orientation towards the True East, Africa, and its strong axis of northeast towards Sugar Land. The circular forms, along with Adinkra symbols, are recurring motifs. The design includes a sinuous walking trail that connects new points of interest, historic Newman and Oak Hill Chapels, historical black cemeteries, a reflecting pond with a monument plinth, a Juneteenth celebration plaza, areas for outdoor cultural art, a planned African American Learning Center and community spaces in honor of prominent African Americans in the county.
The design's recurring theme of circles and geometry serves as conceptual and physical representations of connectivity and the continuous understanding of the African American diaspora. The memorial and planned learning center are intended to further encourage dialogue and conversations regarding the county's residents' rich American history.