Art installations for Chester Lewis Park in downtown Wichita are set to be completed by this weekend.
The park’s design honors the legacy of Chester I. Lewis, a prominent local civil rights leader, through the use of glass prints and mosaic imagery that follow the history of civil rights.
The artist, Ella Monique Baccus, said she collaborated closely with the Lewis family throughout the design process.
“It's so important to tell a story with accuracy and with honesty, and you can't do it unless you ask the people who love Chester Lewis and were part of his life,” Baccus said. “You can't do any project justice unless you actually know the story about the people who it matters to most.”
Lewis made monumental strides in civil rights during his lifetime.
He served on the team that argued the Brown v. Topeka Board of Education case to the Supreme Court, leading to a ruling that desegregated public schools.
He also guided the NAACP Youth Council for the first Dockum Sit-In, which happened a few blocks from the park in 1958. Lewis’ work also included desegregating Wichita public pools and expanding housing for Black Wichitans.
Lewis’ daughter, Brenda Davis, spearheaded the park project.
“This is my father's legacy,” Davis said. “My father fought civil rights his entire life.
“And I think he'd be very honored to see this park come to life in this way and to allow people of all ages to scan the QR code and read the history … of what he did in Wichita, Kansas.“
The park, at Douglas and Market, has been around for some time, but has undergone renovations for about two years. More than $1 million went toward the project, which included a combination of public and private funding.
The renovated park also includes a secondary entrance to the Kansas Health Science Center on Douglas.
An event commemorating the renovations is scheduled for Saturday morning with speakers, local performers, and tours from the artists and architect.
