Civil Rights Era Public Art Project in Gertrude Howes Park
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Civil Rights Era Public Art Project in Gertrude Howes Park
Project Summary The new Civil Rights Era public art tribute is located in the Gertrude Howes Park of Roxbury's Dudley Square neighborhood, a community of active residents and advocates of civil rights for generations. 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. This tribute to the Civil Rights Era 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. The 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. 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 Era public art project in Howes Park is the neighborhood's central greenspace. 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 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 Civil Rights Era Public Art Project • Celebrate the Civil Rights Era 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 Project Goals
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Schematic Design Proposal Process
An open competition resulted in 91 entries. Four artists from New England and the New York region, Vinnie Bagwell, Douglas Kornfeld, Destiny Palmer, and Antoinette Schultze, developed initial schematic proposals. Following a committee invitation, Doug Kornfeld joined forces with Destiny Palmer and formed a collaborative team. Following the presentation of the initial proposal to the Browne Fund, additional funding was made available to develop a collaborative design in partnership with the community, the Parks Department and the Boston Art Commission. UPCOMING PUBLIC MEETINGS Saturday, July 13, 2019 at 9:30-11 a.m. | Building a Vision with the Artists Roxbury Boys and Girls Club, 115 Warren Street, Roxbury The Gertrude Howes Park Civil Rights Movement Public Art Committee invites the public to attend a meeting and to express ideas and suggestions for a new vision to design a tribute dedicated to the Civil Rights Movement. The meeting will include an overview of the process to date, brainstorming with team artists Doug Kornfeld and Destiny Palmer, and an open discussion. Refreshments will be served. A Howes Park walk-through following the meeting is optional. Download the flyer. PAST PUBLIC MEETINGS 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. 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, 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, June 17, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. | Creative Dialogue 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, 12:30-2 p.m. 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. 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 Era Public Art Committee is committed to raising funds for the project. Finalists received a $2,500 honorarium each for initial concept development and presentations. Background Documentation
Project Partners The project is a collaborative effort of artist team Doug Kornfeld and Destiny Palmer in partnership with the Selection Committee and the community, the City of Boston's Edward Ingersoll Browne Trust, the Boston Parks Department and the Boston Art Commission. The Urban Culture Institute is facilitating the project. 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. |