Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis has announced that the Ford Foundation has given a grant to MASS (Model of Architecture Serving Society) Design Group for design of Precinct One’s Remembrance Park, a new public destination in downtown Houston for community reflection, education, organizing, and activism around issues of social, criminal, economic and racial justice.

“I’m thankful to the Ford Foundation for supporting the vision of Remembrance Park,” Commissioner Ellis said. “With its support, and hopefully with more private support from others, I look forward to advancing the continuous struggle for equity and justice for all, and to help this important project for the people reach its full potential.”

Remembrance Park will feature a lynching memorial to honor the Harris County victims of lynching between 1877 and 1950. The park plans recently were lauded by a Houston Chronicle editorial, which said: “the memorial … serves as a reminder that our history includes both the errors made in the past and the steps we take today to acknowledge them and do what we can to correct them. Both those things are part of our history, and a memorial confronting our most painful chapters is both necessary and part of the proof we need that as a society we’re capable of improvement.”

Ford Foundation President Darren Walker said: “Remembrance Park will breathe new life into this space, transforming it into a place to honor those who have fought and still fight for social justice and equality. We are proud to partner with Commissioner Ellis and the people of Harris County to help make this project a reality. We are excited to see this incredible asset take shape, where Harris County residents and visitors alike can enjoy added greenspace in downtown Houston, learn about our history, and reflect about our future.”