A new sculpture titled Shadow Lines will be unveiled at Martyrs Park in Dallas, commemorating victims of racially motivated violence. The dedication ceremony will take place on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at 10 a.m. at the 6th Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, followed by a ribbon-cutting at Martyrs Park.
Installed in September 2023, Shadow Lines, created by artists Shane Allbritton and Norman Lee of RE:site Studio, aims to honor victims of hangings and lynchings and provide a space for public remembrance. The artwork intertwines elements of shadow, light, time, and memory, featuring a semicircular wall of weathering steel on a circular concrete plaza.
Assistant City Manager M. Elizabeth (Liz) Cedillo-Pereira emphasized the importance of confronting the city's history of racial injustice, stating, "To heal as a community, we must do the difficult work of confronting the city’s histories of racial injustice, while exploring how that history continues to shape the present."
The memorial incorporates shadows to mark the dates of racially motivated lynchings and hangings in Dallas County between 1853 and 1920. It also includes text explaining the purpose of the memorial and a poem by renowned poet Tim Seibles reflecting on Dallas' collective memory.
Director of Dallas Park and Recreation John D. Jenkins expressed the significance of the memorial, saying, "This poignant memorial - dedicated to victims of violence and injustice - will create a caring place to honor the past and remember our city’s commitment to a more equitable society."
The use of shadows on the plaza ground serves as a time-specific memorial element, reminding visitors of the history of racial violence in Dallas County. Director of the Office of Arts and Culture, Martine Elyse Philippe, highlighted the role of the Public Art Program in creating a safe space for reflection and education about racial injustice.
“Through the Public Art Program, the Office of Arts and Culture is honored to create a safe space for reflection and education,” said Director Martine Elyse Philippe. “We are committed to increasing local consciousness about the history of racial injustice through the lens of the arts.”
