New York City renames 16 parks to honor Black American experience
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Officials have announced the renaming of 16 parks across New York City in honor of the Black American experience in the city.
NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver joined New York State Sen. Jose Serrano, New York State Assembly Member Amanda Septimo, New York City Council Member Vanessa Gibson and former City Council Member and daughter of the late Rev. Wendell Foster, Helen Dianne Foster, in making the announcement on Wednesday.
The newly named spaces represent educators, Civil Rights leaders, pioneers in the LGBTQ+ community, entertainers, novelists, playwrights, abolitionists and more.
The parks are located across the five boroughs and include the following:
Brooklyn
Prospect Park Bandshell renamed Lena Horne Bandshell
Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen Park renamed Lorraine Hansberry Park
Queens
St. Albans Oval renamed Musicians Oval in honor of Black jazz luminaries including Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie
Staten Island
Silver Lake Park becomes home to Audra Lourde Walk
Bronx
Mullaly Park renamed Rev. Wendell T. Foster Park & Recreation Center
There was a movement last summer to rename the 15-acre Mullaly Park in the Highbridge section of the Bronx. The park was named after a man who is credited as the Father of Bronx Parks, but is also notorious for his racist views.
To honor a commitment made in November to rename Mullaly Park and Recreation Center, the event was held at the park to showcase its new name.
Last June, the agency pledged to continue to demonstrate how it stands in solidarity with the Black community in its fight to combat systemic racism.
Since then, NYC Parks has named 28 parks spaces in honor of the Black experience.
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