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Posted: June 26, 2006
Part One of a Two Part Series: To the gasps and applause of hundreds of celebrants, the eagerly awaited Douglass Community art wall was unveiled on Saturday, June 17, 2006, 10:00a.m., by Mayor Pat Evans and long-time Douglass Community resident Mr. Ben Thomas.
At 76-feet long and 6-feet tall, the gleaming mosaic of shimmering Italian glass now stands as a permanent testament to the contributions of the African American community in the growth of the City of Plano and celebrates our All-America City’s rich cultural diversity.
“This is a very proud day in the City of Plano,” said Mayor Pat Evans. “This wall is going to stand for decades to come as a celebration of the strength of our community and all of Plano. With over 254,000 residents and over 80 languages spoken in our Plano schools, it is easy to look at our cultural differences and not our similarities. This work makes note of the values we all hold dear, family, fellowship and faith, the strong threads that run through the tapestry of American. As we look at this mural we are all connected by these threads and realize that our strength as a people depends on the appreciation of that connection.”
Formed five years ago at the request of the Douglass Homeowners Association, the Douglas Community Arts Advisory Committee was formed to secure funds and aid in managing the art wall project. Adjacent the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail line, the cement retaining wall was made available to the Community by DART for the purpose of installing a mural in a park-like setting.
Tesserae Mosaic Studio, Inc., a collaborative partnership between Shug Jones and Lynn Chinn, submitted the winning design for the mural after gaining extensive feedback through interviews with residents in the Community.
“We are very grateful and proud to have been entrusted with the responsibility of creating this tribute to a community that has such a rich and historic history,” said co-creator Shug Jones.
The Douglass Community is one of the oldest communities in Plano, established in the late 1800’s as a community of former slaves. The area was originally known as Kendrick’s Alley and Southside, but assumed the name of The Fredrick Douglass Community in the later years after the local school was named the Fredrick Douglass School following integration.
Today, the thriving community of 300 has grown from exclusively African American to a neighborhood of diverse cultures, encompassing two of Plano’s historic landmarks, The Shiloh Baptist Church, celebrating over 120 years of faith in the community and the Pioneer Cemetery, which holds many of Plano’s original Peter’s Colony residents. Covering only a four-block radius, the Community is home to an astounding eight churches.
The art wall, entitled “Tracks of our Past and Future,” touches not only upon the life of the Douglass Community, but begs to be touched itself. It is impossible not to instinctively reach out and run one’s hand over the gleaming surface comprised of thousands of pieces of carefully cut and grouted mosaic tiles.
“One of the greatest challenges facing the historic preservation community is developing ways that we can link history to new generations while the gap between the two continues to grow,” said Mr. Justin Parker Nichols, representing the Plano Heritage Commission. “This project is a testament to the fact that our heritage and history does not only exist in the form of existing resources, but can be celebrated and remembered through the efforts of new projects and the creation of new valuable pieces of history.”
The “Tracks of our Past and Future” art wall is located at 12th and I Avenue adjacent the DART light rail in historic Downtown Plano. It is open daily at no charge, with parking adjacent the wall.
In Part Two of this series we will examine the many facets of the wall and their historical significance as well as photos of the unveiling ceremony.
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