By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
Last week, Seattle Public Libraries (SPL) officially re-installed the “Soul Pole” sculpture at the Douglass-Truth Branch, located at the corner of 23rd Ave. and E. Yesler St. in Seattle’s Central Area, during a celebration that honored the history and purpose of the artwork.
The Soul Pole, which is part of the rich heritage of the Douglas-Truth Library that includes an African American book collection founded and maintained by the Seattle Alumnae Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, stood tall at the Douglass-Truth Library for nearly a half century. In 1969, young artists associated with the Rotary Boys Club labored for months to carve the 21-foot wooden statue representing 400 years of African American history and the struggle for justice.
As the Soul Pole weathered many seasons, its condition deteriorated and eventually became a safety hazard. In 2021, SPL de-installed the pole in order to formulate a plan to repair, stabilize and protect the sculpture in order to preserve it as close to its current form as possible for generations to enjoy.
“We are delighted to see the pole standing tall on this historic corner,” says Tom Fay, Chief Librarian for the Seattle Public Library. “In early 2021 however, it became clear that the Soul Pole had deteriorated and needed some conservation and we had hope to return it to this location. While we knew that the sculpture was very important to Seattle’s African American and Central District communities, the library emerged from this process with clearer understanding and deeper appreciation of its significance.”
The vision for the original project in 1969 came from Wilson Gulley, Sr., who was director of the Rotary Boys Club at the time, and Raqib Mu’ied, the Rotary Boys club art director, who worked with students who attended the club’s after school programs. There were five youth – Brenda Davis, Larry Gordon, Gregory Jackson, Cindy Jones — who worked with Mu’ied to carve a former telephone pole in to the work of art we see today.
“The soul pole represents the tenacity and significance of the African American footprint in the Central District,” says Stephanie Johnson-Toliver, President of the Black Heritage Society of Washington State. “This is a beacon on this corner and I’m so proud today to see it back.”
Debra Gulley-Collins, the daughter of Wilson Gulley, Sr., was present for the ceremony and recalled all of the hard work that went into the project.
“We spent many hours in the Rotary Club working on the Soul Pole – chiseling, using a blow torch to burn the wood and sanding it until it was smooth – and anybody who worked on the sculpture would get a history lesson,” said Gulley-Collins. “My dad’s vision for the Rotary Club was as a safe, holistic place for youth to learn and grow.”
Also in attendance was Elijah Mu’ied, the son of Raqib Mu’ied, who said this was a momentous occasion for his family.
“This is legacy for us,” said Mu’ied. “For me this is a part of a family history, I am a creative, my siblings are artists, so for us to see the pole coming back, being refurbished is a beautiful part of our history.”
The restoration project was managed by Artech Fine Art Services, which has extensive experience in restoration and preservation. Corine Landrieu, one of the Northwest’s top conservators, directed the conservation work.
“About twenty years ago, I briefly worked on that piece for the city,” says Landrieu. “It was 100 degrees outside. I remember when I first worked on it, it was a very intense situation, so when Artech approached me to work on this piece again I was very happy because I got to do it indoors in a warehouse, and in basically ideal conditions for such an object.”
Visitors will notice almost no difference in the Soul Pole, but it will be prepared to withstand several more decades of exposure to Seattle weather. The one visible alteration will be a zinc cap placed on top of the Soul Pole to protect it from water intrusion.
The library will add a plaque to display with the original plaque at the Soul Pole’s base to share more information about the conservation and honor the artwork’s history.
