On June 22, 2025, at 3 p.m., the John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Park will host a reception to recognize its new name and vision.
The event will offer the public an opportunity to experience the celebration of African American culture through art and music. A pop-up exhibition will feature local African American artists and music. The public will also learn about upcoming programs for the summer, including art classes, creative writing workshops, and genealogy classes.
On April 15, 2025, the Raleigh City Council approved the name change of the John P. “Top” Greene Community Center to the John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Park. This community-led effort was charged in part by the South Park-East Raleigh Neighborhood Association (SPERNA) and the Community Advisory Group (CAG). The name change will launch cultural opportunities to highlight and support the surrounding African American communities through art exhibitions, performances, film screenings, and arts education. This is part of the 2022 project, when Raleigh voters overwhelmingly approved a Parks Bond Referendum, which included funding to help reimagine the Top Greene property as an African American cultural resource.
Named after John P. “Top” Greene, a noted community leader, the center is a 1.32-acre park property located at 401 Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard within the historic South Park neighborhood of southeast Raleigh. The Parks, Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board took up the petition at their November 21, 2024, board meeting following the procedure established by Resolution No. (2021) – 278 for park renaming.
The John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Park is uniquely suited to fulfill the City of Raleigh, PRCR Department, and HRM Program strategic initiatives to increase programming in majority-minority neighborhoods and those connected to Raleigh’s unique African American heritage.
The John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Park will serve as the fountainhead for the larger citywide initiative to identify and preserve historic and cultural assets within Southeast Raleigh communities; enhance those assets by making them more visible and accessible; fortify ongoing revitalization efforts of downtown Raleigh; engage residents and visitors alike with a unique community resource; and promote an appreciation of the area’s rich history and ongoing importance to Raleigh.
Details
Location: John P. "Top" Greene African American Cultural Center
(401 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27601)
Date: Sunday, June 22
Time: 3 - 5 p.m.
Ages: 18 and older
Cost: Free