Located in the heart of Houston’s Third Ward, Emancipation Park has been a place for Juneteenth celebrations, community gatherings, and other traditions for generations. Today, you can go for a swim at the community pool, listen to jazz as you watch the sun set over the downtown skyline, or enjoy a performance at Blessing Theater. More than 150 years after it was purchased by newly freed African Americans, the park stands as a testament to the resilience of Third Ward.
So, how did it begin?
The Park’s Historic Beginnings
After slavery was abolished in 1865, an influx of African Americans moved to Houston from neighboring plantations. They began to purchase land and build homes in the city, especially in Third and Fourth wards. Some combined resources and purchased property to build schools and churches. The Rev. Jack Yates, politician Richard Allen, and the Rev. Elias Dibble, who were also former slaves themselves, purchased a place for African Americans to celebrate Juneteenth, the day enslaved Texans officially learned slavery ended in June 1865. The group bought the 10-acre plot for Emancipation Park in 1872. In the late 1930s, a recreation center, swimming pool, and a bathhouse were added. For years, the park served as a community hub. It also was the only public park and swimming pool open for African Americans until the 1950s.
A $33 Million Remodel
As years passed, Third Ward residents wanted a modern update for their historic park. In the early 2000s, two residents who were born and raised in Third Ward created a nonprofit called the Friends of Emancipation Park to push for resources for the park. Philip Freelon, a renowned architect who also designed the The National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., led the park’s $33.6 million redesign. It included a new recreation center, a beautiful green lawn for events with family picnic areas, and a restored stage area for indoor and outdoor performances. In 2017, more than 8,000 people partied at the first Juneteenth celebration held at the newly renovated park. With fears of gentrification in the neighborhood, many hope the park will preserve Third Ward’s rich history.
Since the redesign, when you drive down Emancipation Avenue, it’s hard to miss the main building's bold orange colors. The park hosts events all year long like Jazzy Sundays, summer programs for children, and community plays. Right across the street, you can order something delicious from RaDo Market (my vote is the pound cake waffle with chicken!) or get a book from Kindred Stories inside Eldorado Ballroom for your summer reading. Right now at Emancipation Park, you can also explore an exhibit in honor of the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee until Aug. 31.
