PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN

Thursday, April 9, 2026; Groundbreaking ceremony for second phase of the African American Cultural Gardens, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive: Association of African American Cultural Gardens Executive Director Obie Shelton plays “Lift Up Your Voice” on his violin.

PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN

Thursday, April 9, 2026; Groundbreaking ceremony for second phase of the African American Cultural Gardens, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive: Association of African American Cultural Gardens Development Chair Lavita Ewing speaks to the crowd about the goal for the future of the garden. The second phase of the garden will feature a pool of water with a model of the Little Dipper and a North Star – a reminder of how escaped slaves used the North Star