North Carolina’s growth and prosperity have depended greatly on the contributions of many individuals whose lives and perspectives have not been included in our state’s written history.
There are countless individuals, including people of color and other underrepresented groups, who have played vital roles in the history of North Carolina. The North Carolina Freedom Park invites visitors to deepen their knowledge of our state’s history and lifts some of those hidden branches of our freedom story back up to the light.
How much do you know about the North Carolina Freedom Park?
Did you know…
- The park has 138 panels designed to be the color of the natural Carolina earth. Each panel is a different shape, and they fit together like a puzzle.
- The panels weigh approximately 5,000 lbs. each and were produced in Wausau, Wisconsin before being transported to Raleigh by truck.
- There are twenty quotes on the walls of the park from African Americans born in North Carolina or individuals who once called North Carolina home like Maya Angelou or John Hope Franklin.
- The Beacon of Freedom statue was produced in Denver, Colorado and transported to North Carolina on two 55-foot flatbed trucks.
The Friends of North Carolina Freedom Park Board was formed to secure the legacy of The Park and to collaborate with the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission in promotion of the park statewide with a focus on school groups.