Project Overview

The John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Center project, funded by the 2022 Parks Bond, will feature renovations and updates to the existing center along with an expansion in the form of a new community building. The existing building renovations will include expanded exhibits about the history and culture of Raleigh’s African American communities, a state-of-the-art sound studio for recording oral histories and podcasts, storage for historic artifacts, space for genealogy research, and an enhanced entrance retail area.  The new building will feature an AV integrated large community gathering space, a screened porch, a catering kitchen, and additional restrooms. Between the buildings will be a central plaza which features an outdoor classroom space for hosting school groups. The project also includes associated site, stormwater, and accessibility improvements as well as overall site beautification.  

The renovated and expanded center will serve as the trailhead for the new South Park Heritage Trail. The Trail will be a 2-mile loop through parts of downtown Raleigh, the city greenway and park system, and parts of the South Park Neighborhood, spotlighting African American history and culture. Learn more about the South Park Heritage Trail.

Project Schedule: 2024 -2028

Renaming

Throughout the planning and development process, members of the community – primarily represented by the South Park East Raleigh Neighborhood Association (SPERNA) and the Community Advisory Group (CAG) – requested that name of the park be changed to John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Park and the center to John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Center to more accurately reflect the mission of the park. SPERNA initiated a citizen-led petition and accumulated signatures supporting the name change. On April 15, 2025, with the approval of the Raleigh City Council, the center’s name officially became the John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Center and the park was renamed the John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Park.

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