New Park Honoring Pioneering African American, Dr. Homer Harris, This Weekend

This Sat., May 14th the Seattle Parks Foundation will officially dedicate a new park in honor of Dr. Homer Harris. The park located at 2401 E. Howell Street in the Central Area, across the street from the Meredith Mathews YMCA, will serve as a lasting monument both to the rich character of the Central Area and as a tribute to Dr. Harris’ lifetime of achievement. Born and raised in Seattle’s Central Area, Harris became a football and track star at Garfield High School in the 1930s. Dr. Harris overcame racial prejudice and broke color barriers when he was unanimously elected by his teammates to be Garfield High’s football team captain, and later became the first Black football captain in the history of the Big 10 Conference while at Iowa State University. Sports, which Harris sees as a tool he used to get ahead in the world, led him to an athletic scholarship at Iowa State, a stint in the Army, and eventually to medical school. He returned to Seattle after earning his medical degree from Meharry Medical School, and established a dermatology practice that became the biggest west of the Rockies. Harris was revered by colleagues and patients alike throughout his 43-year career. Though subjected to prejudice throughout his life, he persevered with a sense of humor and dignity, inspiring those whose lives he touched. Seattle honored him as a “Pioneer Black doctor,” and he was inducted into the Iowa Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002. In November of 2002, the Seattle Parks Foundation announced an anonymous donation of $1.3 million dollars to create a new park in honor of Dr. Homer Harris, one of Seattle’s most respected doctors and greatest athletes. The $1.3 million gift was used to acquire the park property and for basic development of the site. Recognizing an opportunity to create a truly unique public space, community members worked with the Parks Foundation to raise funds for art elements that reflect the cultural history of the neighborhood and tell Dr. Harris’ story. When the Parks Foundation announced the $1.3 million gift for the new park in 2002, King County Executive Ron Sims spoke to the significance of Dr. Harris’ achievements, saying “He is a renaissance man. He is a superstar even today.” The dedication ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. and will feature Garfield Marching Band; Rev. Pat Wright and The Total Experience Gospel Choir; friends and family of Dr. Harris, and political leaders. Seattle Parks Foundation:Improving, renewing, and expanding Seattle’s parks and green spaces.