John Chavis Memorial Park was built in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1937 for the local and regional Black population as a “separate but equal” recreational facility. People traveled from as far as Virginia and South Carolina to use the park because there were few resources of this size and quality open to African Americans at this time. Thus, John Chavis Memorial Park became a special place to the local and regional Black community. Many people who grew up in the park have powerful stories about its impact on their lives and on their community.

Nomad Studio partnered with Signature Design to develop a comprehensive interpretive plan for the park and concept designs for several new outdoor exhibits. The planning process included community engagement to ensure stories aligned with their vision for the park.

As part of the project, an initial outdoor exhibit was installed with others planned for the future. Located near the park’s historic carousel house, two large-scale prismatic panels convey the park’s significance through a photographic timeline. The exhibit also includes an online component that provides more detailed information about the park’s history, as well as audio excerpts from oral histories collected from community members. More information is available by visiting the City of Raleigh’s website.

Historical image courtesy of the State Archives of North Carolina.