Making the African-American Cultural Garden

The African-American Cultural Garden is part of a complex of cultural gardens in Cleveland; here’s the backstory on this recognition of the Great Migration. 

Obie Shelton, 69, (at left) is the executive director of The Association of African American Cultural Gardens, an organization dedicated to the completion of the African American Cultural Garden within the Cleveland Cultural Garden Federation, a collective of cultural gardens. In the 1960s, there was a resurgence to recognize African roots and culture, reflecting the assimilation efforts of Black Americans in the 1950s. In this interview with Senior Planet, Shelton discusses the evolution of Black history, the current status of the African American Cultural Garden, and future plans.

 I’d love to learn about your career leading up to your current role as Executive Director.

I was a journalist and TV reporter in Cleveland for over 30 years, during which time I became involved with the African American Cultural Garden through community activities like playing gospel music on the violin and emceeing fundraisers. After leaving TV during the 2008 recession, I started working in local government but maintained my connection to the garden. This experience and my growing interest in the organization’s work eventually led to me being asked to take on the role of Executive Director.

 

Where is the African American Culture Garden currently located, and what inspired its creation? Is it complete?

The African American Cultural Garden is part of a larger network of cultural gardens dedicated to different ethnicities in Cleveland, Ohio dating back over 100 years.

We finished building the first part back in 2016, with the idea of giving people a kind of a teaser and hoping that it would spur excitement and development. Then COVID hit.

 

Can you share some of the key features or symbols in the garden that reflect the richness of African American history and culture?

There’s a Door of No Return (at left) that is symbolic, and the garden is very abstract. The design is more modern than a lot of the gardens along the strip. This terrace is black, and it will seat 300 people, so you could have a family reunion or even a wedding there. Etched into that black terrace is the Little Dipper and the North Star, which points north. This, of course, symbolizes the journey from of African Americans from the South to the North in search of opportunity.

 

Is the African American Culture Garden open to the public all the time? Is there a way for people to take a virtual tour if they can’t visit in person?

It’s free and open to the public. For those interested in virtual tours, you can go to aacg.org, and we have local broadcasters who are narrating the garden’s story.

 

How has the location of the cultural garden contributed to community engagement and education over the years?

It’s in a spot in the city that used to be considered unsafe, but now, because of improvements over the years, you have college students and just kind of everybody running by there. So, number one, it gives an opportunity to educate people who are going by when we’re at our events and we’re telling people about the door of no return. Plus, it gets our community outside. Cleveland is beautiful in the summer months, and to be able to get out there and interact—especially with eagles flying overhead and plants around—it’s that benefit of being outside and appreciating the value of it.

 

How do you age with attitude?

Next year I turn 70, and I’ve trained for it. I’ve kept myself in good shape so that I can go to churches, I can go to all these events, and I can, energetically, you know, communicate and get people inspired.

 

Photo: (Top):  Ubiquitous Design, LTD.

Photos: (Middle): Obie Shelton

 

NaBeela Washington, an emerging Black writer, holds a Master’s in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University and Bachelor’s in Visual Advertising from The University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has been published in Eater, The Cincinnati Review, and others. Learn more at nabeelawashington.com.