Howes Park
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Gertrude Howes Park Civil Rights Tribute: Public Art Project in Boston
Project Summary The public art project in Gertrude Howes Park celebrates Civil Rights. Our tribute is envisioned to result in the installation of an abstract work of art dedicated to the movement rather than a representation dedicated to individual persons or events. The Civil Rights Tribute honors the many individuals who have contributed to improving living conditions and social equity for all since the beginning, intended as an affirmation of the struggle and celebration of citizen participation and ownership. The location of Gertrude Howes Playground in the Moreland Street Historic District has deep meaning to the residents of the surrounding Roxbury neighborhood near Dudley Square. Rev. Michael Hayes, the first African-American member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives was pastor from 1964 to 2004 at near-by Twelfth Baptist Church. As a young minister, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King preached at the church’s prior location on Shawmut Avenue in Roxbury. In later years, Dr. King stayed in the neighborhood on travels to Boston. Reverend James Reeb, killed in Alabama in 1965, preached there and Malcolm X grew up in the area. Many other local activists from the African-American, Caribbean and other ethnic communities fought for a betterment of lives, general conditions and society during their lifetimes. The Civil Rights Public Art Tribute project is intended to recognize these efforts. Project Partners The project is a collaborative effort between the City of Boston's Edward Ingersoll Browne Trust, Boston Parks and Recreation, the Boston Art Commission (BAC); the Vine Street Community Center; the Friends of Gertrude Howes Park; the Boys and Girls Club of Boston, Roxbury Path Forward; the Mount Pleasant, Forest and Vine Streets Neighborhood Association (MPFVNA); the Art Selection Committee and community members. The Urban Culture Institute is facilitating the art selection process. Site Description Gertrude Howes Park, 68 Moreland Street, is located in the heart of the Moreland Street Historic District of Roxbury. Established in 1930, the Park is energized by a diverse neighborhood community and by the revitalization of Dudley Square. Howes Playground provides 1.8 acres of passive and active areas with a children’s playground, sprinkler plaza, gazebo, benches, and picnic tables. Formerly contained within the Weld Estate in the mid-1800s, the park is the only large open land in the area that is still intact. The center of the park highlights a display of original Roxbury puddingstone outcroppings that were once surrounded by apple and pear orchards, farmlands, and pastures. The designated site for the Civil Rights Tribute sits on a natural pinnacle in the center of Howes Park (see attached site photos). Currently a grassy area, the location offers visual drama because it is next to an eye-catching, elevated puddingstone rock outcropping surrounded by a stand of deciduous trees. The rocks serve as a natural foundation for the planned tribute. A plaza and spray fountain south of the rock formation is framed by a semicircular retaining wall, which is occasionally used as an amphitheater stage for small performances. The park offers a rich array of outdoor events and activities for children, youth and adults, including summer festivals, a playground and a popular spray fountain, yoga and fitness classes, music, picnics and more. The Gertrude Howes Playground received an $850,000 facelift in 2012, completed by Ray Dunetz Landscape Architecture. The park was “named for former teacher, child lover and leader in school garden work, who made playground possible.” (Tribute Paid Late Gertrude Howes at Dedication of New Playground. Boston Globe, May 27, 1932). During World War II she established a Victory Garden at the Hemenway School, which provided fresh vegetables for school lunches. Many of her students later served in the military. Ms. Howes lived at 104 Winthrop Street. Summary of General Criteria for the Project • Celebrate the civil rights movement of Roxbury and Boston with an innovative public art installation and/or landscape design • Sought is intimacy, warmth and neighborly self-worth • Create new space to gather and socialize, knitting neighborhoods together • Serve as a community service project, as well as an educational destination • Design will offer a sense of place • Appropriateness for the site, including scale and safety • Low maintenance, permanent materials • Apply sustainable design methods and principles. • Adhere to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines as appropriate Budget The project is anticipated to be funded in part by the Edward Ingersoll Browne Trust Fund, a public charitable trust administered by the City of Boston Trust Office. The total anticipated all-inclusive budget for design, fabrication and installation is $250,000. The Civil Rights Tribute Committee is committed to raising funds for the project. Finalists received a $2,500 honorarium each for initial concept development and presentations. |
Finalist Proposals
An open competition resulted in 91 entries. Following the art selection committee's thorough review four artists from New England and the New York region were invited to develop site-specific schematic proposals. Download the proposals: Vinnie Bagwell, Douglas Kornfeld, Destiny Palmer with Kristine Rumman & Dale Turpening, and Antoinette Schultze. Download the four Howes Park finalist proposals as Summary PDF. Winning Proposal Doug Kornfeld created the winning proposal of seating stones featuring citations by local and national civil rights leaders on the park's plaza. He has teamed up with Destiny Palmer to further develop this concept: Download the revised Public Art Tribute proposal of March 2018. Schedule of Public Meetings with an Open Invitation to Participate The public was invited to a series of public presentations and discussions, and to provide feedback on the Civil Rights Tribute as follows: Saturday, June 17, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. | CREATIVE DIALOG with Finalist Artists Howes Park walk-through, 68 Moreland Street, Roxbury MA Walk the park and look at the site for the Civil Rights Tribute, followed by our Creative Lunch Roundtable, 12:30-2pm Roxbury Boys and Girls Club, 115 Warren Street, Roxbury Finalists listen and talk about ideas for an abstract sculpture. Lunch provided courtesy of the Dudley Cafe. Download the flyer. Saturday, July 29 at 10:30 a.m. | Proposal Presentations Roxbury Boys and Girls Club, 115 Warren Street, Roxbury MA Four artists presented public art proposals celebrating Civil Rights. Lunch provided courtesy of the Dudley Cafe. Download the flyer. Saturday, September 9, 2-8 p.m. | Proposal Exhibit & Invitation to Comment Visit our table and comment on the proposals at the 5th Annual Big Head Festival Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists, 300 Walnut Ave, Roxbury Download the flyer. August 1 – September 16, 2017 Public Comment Period – Invitation to comment We invite you to participate and provide feedback on the 4 concepts. Proposal review will result in an invitation to further develop one or more initial proposals during design development. Comments are gathered by the Urban Culture Institute and will be shared with the Art Selection Committee for consideration. By 9/16, please email your comments to christina.lanzl@urbancultureinstitute.org. Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 11 a.m. | Presentation of Revised Proposal Roxbury Boys and Girls Club, 115 Warren Street, Roxbury MA Doug Kornfeld and team artist Destiny Palmer will present a revised proposal based on the feedback by the Art Selection Committee and the community. Free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Download the flyer. Download the revised March 2018 proposal by Doug Kornfeld and Destiny Palmer Background Documentation
Project Goals
How to Get Involved The Civil Rights Tribute Committee is seeking volunteers to get involved and to assist with fundraising. Contact For additional information please email Christina Lanzl. |