The proposed South Park Heritage Walk, for the first time, will comprehensively tell the story of an important historically Black neighborhood–the South Park neighborhood. The walk route is included in the boundary of the Council-endorsed South Park Cultural District.
Points of cultural significance included in the South Park heritage walk are:
- Shaw University
- City Market
- City Cemetery
- John Chavis Memorial Park
- John P "Top" Greene Community Center
- Moore Square
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
- Washington Elementary School
- Raleigh’s former Black Main Street
What is the importance of the South Park neighborhood?
East Raleigh-South Park is Raleigh's largest historic African American neighborhood and a designated National Historic District. It was mainly developed between 1865 and 1940 as African Americans moved to Raleigh in increasing numbers. Many were attracted to the southeastern part of Raleigh for its association with three prominent institutions located here: Second Baptist Church (now Tupper Memorial), which offered classes for African Americans of all ages; Shaw Collegiate Institute (now Shaw University); and the School for the Negro Deaf, Dumb, and Blind. The presence of Shaw University and the growing middle class that chose to live nearby helped make Raleigh, and East Raleigh in particular, a cultural center for African Americans as early as the 1890s.
What is the background of the Heritage Walk?
The South Park Heritage Walk report developed by SPERNA in collaboration with the NC State University College of Design documented much of the unique cultural history of this neighborhood through extensive community engagement efforts. The resulting report recommended the Heritage Walk to connect the neighborhood's various historical and cultural points of interest. The report also suggested other improvements such as community design, public spaces, signage, and wayfinding to the overall experience of the walk.
Project Details
- Type:
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Bicycle and Pedestrian
- Project Lead:
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Dylan Bruchhaus
