:Emancipation Park (Houston)

File:EmancipationPark.JPG

In 1872, Richard Allen, Richard Brock, Jack Yates, and Elias Dibble together bought {{convert|10|acre|ha}} of parkland with $800 (${{inflation|USD|800|1872|r=2}} in 2013 inflation-adjusted dollars).{{cite web |title=Emancipation Park to receive $33 million renovation |url=https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/champions-klein/news/article/Emancipation-Park-to-receive-33-million-9512069.php |website=Chron |access-date=9 July 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170302145224/http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/champions-klein/news/article/Emancipation-Park-to-receive-33-million-9512069.php |archive-date=2 March 2017 |date=28 October 2013}} The men, led by Yates, were members of the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church and the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church.Wood, Roger. Down in Houston: Bayou City Blues. University of Texas Press. {{ISBN|0292786638}}, 9780292786639. p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=gdY5aJMVKkcC&pg=PA82 82]. They did this to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.Turner, Allan. "[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7488706.html UH exhibit focuses on Third Ward history, people]." Houston Chronicle. March 23, 2011. Retrieved on March 24, 2011. As the owners lacked funds to keep the park open year-round, it was originally solely used for Juneteenth celebrations.Blue, p. 15-16. The park received its current name in 1872.Blue, p. 15.

The City of Houston received the park in 1916 as part of a donation; the city converted it into a municipal park in 1918. From 1922 to 1940 it was Houston's sole park for African-Americans, since the city government had declared its parks racially segregated in 1922."[https://cdn.loc.gov/master/pnp/habshaer/tx/tx1100/tx1147/data/tx1147data.pdf Emancipation Park WRITTEN HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE DATA]." Library of Congress. Retrieved on March 3, 2017. p. 8 of 11. Many concerts, musical performances, and Juneteenth celebrations were held in Emancipation Park.

During this period, the park constructed a recreation center, swimming pool, and bathhouse, designed by prominent Houston architect William Ward Watkin. The buildings have been used for after-school and summer programs for children, community meetings, and classes for youth and adults.{{cite web|title=Houston City Council Meeting Agenda, November 7, 2007|url=http://www.houstontx.gov/citysec/backup/2007/110707.pdf|website=City of Houston|accessdate=12 March 2017|page=98/246}}

The park fell into disrepair in the 1970s after wealthier blacks left the Third Ward during the integration process.{{cite web|author=Gray, Lisa|url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/columnists/gray/article/Friends-of-Emancipation-Park-hope-renovation-4947655.php#/0|title=Friends of Emancipation Park hope renovation revitalizes neighborhood|publisher=Houston Chronicle|date=2013-11-01|accessdate=2017-03-04}} By 2007 it had stopped hosting Juneteenth celebrations.{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/news/slideshow/EMANCIPATION-PARK-NO-LONGER-HOME-TO-JUNETEENTH-29203.php|title=Emancipation Park No Longer Home to Juneteenth Celebrations|publisher=Houston Chronicle|date=2007-06-18|accessdate=2017-03-03}}

In 2006, Carol Parrott Blue and Bill Milligan, natives of the Third Ward, formed "Friends of Emancipation Park" in order to revitalize the park.Blue, p. 17. The board was established in March 2007. On November 7, 2007 the Houston City Council declared the park a historic landmark after it voted unanimously to do so.{{cite web|author=Friedburg, Jennifer|url=http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/heights-news/article/Emancipation-Park-designated-a-protected-historic-1529315.php|title=Emancipation Park designated a protected historic landmark|publisher=Houston Chronicle|date=2007-11-19|accessdate=2017-03-02}} Carol Alvarado introduced the resolution.{{cite web|title=Houston City Council Meeting Agenda, November 7, 2007|url=http://www.houstontx.gov/citysec/backup/2007/110707.pdf|website=City of Houston|accessdate=12 March 2017|page=4/246}}

In 2011, the city government planned to establish a capital campaign to install new facilities at the park. It spent $2 million in its own money and secured $4 million in funding from the local government corporation OST/Almeda Corridors Redevelopment Authority as well as $1 million in funding from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.{{cite web|author=Moran, Chris|url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Big-plans-for-Emancipation-Park-2182589.php|title=Big plans for Emancipation Park|publisher=Houston Chronicle|date=2011-09-21|accessdate=2017-03-03}} In 2012, Mayor of Houston Annise Parker made requests for donations in order to secure additional funding.{{cite web|author=Moran, Chris|url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Renovation-visions-and-dreams-3643051.php|title=Mayor will seek donations to make over Emancipation Park|publisher=Houston Chronicle|date=2012-06-19|accessdate=2017-03-03}} The renovation project had a cost of $33 million. Groundbreaking occurred on Saturday, October 26, 2013.

In 2014, the Emancipation Park Conservancy formed to restore, manage, and enhance Emancipation Park. In 2016, the group entered into a 30-year joint management agreement with the City of Houston to provide fundraising and maintenance for the park.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-10 |title=ABOUT EPC - Emancipation Park Conservancy |url=https://epconservancy.org/about-epc/ |access-date=2023-06-21 |language=en}}{{Cite web |orig-date=2016-07-12 |title=PRD - Joint Operations, Maintenance and Programming Agreement for Emancipation Park |url=https://houston.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/CoverSheet.aspx?ItemID=8620&MeetingID=171 |access-date=2023-06-21 |website=houston.novusagenda.com |publisher=City of Houston City Council}}{{Cite web |title=Interlocal Agreement for Emancipation Park Presented to Quality of Life Committee, June 22, 2016 |url=https://www.houstontx.gov/council//committees/qol/20160622/Emancipation_Park_Presentation.pdf |publisher=Houston Parks and Recreation Department}}

Also in 2016, the City of Houston Planning Commission passed a resolution to have Dowling Avenue, a street bordering Emancipation Park named after Confederate soldier Richard W. Dowling, renamed to Emancipation Avenue.{{cite web|author=Begley, Dug|url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/City-planners-approve-ditching-Dowling-Street-for-10418470.php|title=City planners approve ditching Dowling Street for Emancipation Avenue|publisher=Houston Chronicle|date=2016-10-28|accessdate=2017-03-03}} In January 2017, Houston City Council voted unanimously to legally designate Emancipation Avenue.{{cite web|title=What Happens When You Change a Street Name?|first=Morgan|last=Kinney|work=Houstonia|url=https://www.houstoniamag.com/news-and-city-life/2017/07/what-happens-when-you-change-a-street-name|date=July 18, 2017}}

In 2017, $33.6 million worth of renovations and new developments were completed to modernize the park.{{Cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/houston/article/33-6-million-Emancipation-Park-redo-unveiled-11227617.php|title = Community celebrates $33.6M makeover of Houston's Emancipation Park|date = 17 June 2017}} Also, Juneteenth and other black-centric celebrations were brought back to the park.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/17/us/houston-juneteenth-emancipation-park.html|title = In Houston, an Original Juneteenth Celebration Site Reborn|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 17 June 2017|last1 = Hardy|first1 = Michael}}

In 2019 it became a UNESCO Slave Route Project site.{{cite web|author=Rice, Jen|url=https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/arts-culture/2019/05/09/332758/seven-houston-landmarks-earn-united-nations-historical-designation/|title=7 Houston Landmarks Earn United Nations Historical Designation|publisher=Houston Public Media|date=2019-05-09|accessdate=2019-05-11}}

The community center includes an indoor gymnasium, a weight room, and meeting rooms. The park has an outdoor basketball pavilion, lighted sports fields, lighted tennis courts, a swimming pool, a playground, and picnic areas.{{Cite web |title=Emancipation Community Center |url=http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/cc-emancipation.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322235755/http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/cc-emancipation.html |archive-date=2009-03-22 |access-date=2009-04-13 |website=City of Houston}}{{Cite web |date=2022-09-02 |title=AMENITIES - Emancipation Park Conservancy |url=https://epconservancy.org/amenities/ |access-date=2023-06-21 |language=en}}

A swimming and recreation complex with an attached bathhouse was built in 1938 and 1939. William Ward Watkin designed the structure. The basketball court was added in the 1970s.

The 2010s renovated facilities were designed by a North Carolina black architect, Phil Freelon. Mimi Swartz of Texas Monthly described him as "arguably" the "most prominent" American black architect. The new facilities include a playground, a swimming pool, and a performance hall.

There is a historical marker that was dedicated in 2009.{{cite web|author=Gonzales, J.R.|url=https://blog.chron.com/bayoucityhistory/2009/06/marker-dedication-at-emancipation-park/|title=Marker dedication at Emancipation Park|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=2009-06-22|accessdate=2020-06-09}}

• Blue, Carroll Parrott. {{cite journal|url=https://houstonhistorymagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/emancipation-with-sidebar.pdf|title=Emancipation is a Park|journal=Houston History Magazine|volume=9|issue=3|pages=15{{endash}}19}}

{{reflist|2}}

• {{cite web|url=https://digitalprojects.rice.edu/wrc/dick-dowling/items/show/2442|title=Audio Tour of Emancipation Park and Dowling Street|last=|first=|website=|publisher=Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|date=2011}}
• "[https://www.houstontx.gov/planning/HistoricPres/landmarks/07PL46_Emancipation_Park_3018_Dowling_Street.pdf Protected Landmark Designation Report: Emancipation Park]." City of Houston. Accepted July 30, 2007.
• {{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/opinion/editorials/article/Emancipation-Park-A-special-place-2236148.php|title=Editorial: Emancipation Park is a special place|publisher=Houston Chronicle|date=2011-10-25}}
• {{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/opinion/editorials/article/Editorial-Emancipation-Park-deserves-national-3656686.php|title=Editorial: Emancipation Park deserves national stature|publisher=Houston Chronicle|date=2012-06-22}}
• Ocampo, Mary Anne and James Buckley. "[https://dusp.mit.edu/cdd/project/emancipation-park-neighborhood-strategies-community-led-regeneration-third-ward Emancipation Park Neighborhood: Strategies for Community-Led Regeneration in the Third Ward]" - MIT Urban Planning, Spring 2016

• Some content is derived from Third Ward, Houston.

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/parksites/emancipationpark.html Official Emancipation Park website]
• [https://epconservancy.org/ Emancipation Park Conservancy website]
• {{HALS |survey=TX-7 |id=tx1147 |title=Emancipation Park, 3018 Dowling Street, Houston, Harris County, TX |data=11}}
• "[http://www.chron.com/news/slideshow/Scenes-from-Emancipation-Park-30986.php Scenes from Emancipation Park]." Houston Chronicle.

{{Third Ward, Houston}}

Category:1872 establishments in Texas

Category:African-American history in Houston

Category:Parks in Houston

Category:Third Ward, Houston