Memorial
At the heart of this effort is the creation of a physical space to remember a tragic but heroic Chattanooga story.
This reflective memorial recognizes Ed Johnson, his brutal death and sacrifice, honors the heroic and historic efforts of Noah Parden, Styles Hutchins and the African-American community that supported them, and commemorates the landmark Supreme Court case that changed the course of American history and civil rights. The memorial is a welcoming, contemplative space at the south side to the Walnut Street Bridge where people of all backgrounds and cultures can come to learn, reflect, mourn and find inspiration.
Proposed design of the Ed Johnson Memorial as of December 2018. Image courtesy of Jerome Meadows.
The memorial is located in the metaphorical and literal heart of the Chattanooga community, where thousands of tourists and locals of every culture live, work and play. Utilizing creative place making practices, the design will engage the local community and tell the historical narrative of this event through art, inscriptions and a story wall. It will draw people into the space and expand the public’s understanding of both the story and its significance in the fight for civil rights and justice.
In March 2018, renowned artist Jerome Meadows was chosen to create the memorial. His team includes local Chattanooga artists Roger Halligan and Jan Chenoweth and members of Ross/Fowler Landscape Architecture Urban Design & Planning. The memorial will have three, life-size bronze sculptures of Ed Johnson, Noah Parden and Styles Hutchins, as well as story walls and space for contemplation. It will include sculptures dedicated to the other three victims lynched in Hamilton County.
Meadows is a full time studio artist working and residing in an historic Ice House in Savannah, Georgia. Originally from New York City, he’s been living in Savannah since 1997. A graduate with a BFA degree from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA degree from the University of Maryland, Mr. Meadows has been self-employed as a visual artist and public space designer since 1992. His focus in the arts has been in the design and fabrication of large scale public art projects, including site layout, landscape issues, along with the conceptualization and fabrication of sculptural components all fully integrated into a cohesive whole. These projects are located throughout the United States.
More details about his previous work and artistic recognition can be found on his website.
To view all three design proposals, of which Jerome’s was selected from, click here.