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Community leaders unveil 'Circle of Humanity' Marshall Park plan pairing Holocaust memorial with MLK statue
Summary
Donors, community groups and selected artists presented an updated vision for Marshall Park that pairs a new Holocaust memorial sculpture with the existing Martin Luther King Jr. memorial to create an educational corridor and gathering space; the project team seeks private fundraising and community input before moving to a formal MOU and implementation.
Community leaders and county staff presented an update June 16 on a donor‑led plan to create a ‘‘Circle of Humanity’’ at Marshall Park, pairing a new Holocaust memorial sculpture with the existing Martin Luther King Jr. monument and a linked educational corridor.
Dr. Leslie Johnson summarized an extensive community feedback process — 12 sessions with roughly 850 attendees and more than 100 detailed survey responses — and introduced Reverend Mack (NAACP), Rabbi Judy Schindler and the design and art teams. The selected urban‑design concept, called “Woven Histories,” envisions interactive educational elements, stone benches, interpretive “book” stones referencing civil‑rights and Holocaust history, and gathering spaces between the two memorials.
Artists Stephen Hayes and David Wilson — the winning collaborators for the Holocaust memorial — described a representational concept titled In Transit / Weight of Absence designed to convey loss, separation and the shared responsibilities of remembrance and dignity. “We sought to distill its emotional reality into a sculptural form that speaks to loss,” Hayes said.
Community response and process: Presenters said the feedback sessions were broadly supportive and that participants preferred a representational approach over abstraction; staff acknowledged a small number of thoughtful concerns (historical accuracy, accessibility and clear interpretive materials) and said those recommendations were incorporated. Project funding will come primarily from private donations, foundations and corporate philanthropy; the team seeks to create an endowment for long‑term maintenance and hopes to complete the project within one to two years if fundraising succeeds.
County response: Commissioners praised the partnership, emphasized the project’s educational potential for nearby schools and neighborhoods and asked for follow‑up on the MOU, fundraising timeline and construction sequencing. Dr. Johnson said the team has not executed a final MOU and prioritized community engagement and fundraising before contract execution.
Next steps: Project leads said they will continue fundraising, finalize agreements with the county and advance design and permitting once funds and MOU terms are in place.
