Rochester Heritage Civil Rights site design in progress

Already known for being home to Frederick Douglass, Rochester will soon be even more historic. It will be one of the very few cities in the northern United States that has a public site which is dedicated to civil rights.

This site will be known as the Rochester Heritage Civil Rights site and will be built on the northeast side of the city at Baden Park. Baden park is located close to a public school and historical point of interest, Baden Street Settlement House. The neighborhood itself is historic because the civil rights riot of 1964 began here.

Funding for the Civil Rights site has been secured through the city, state, and private donors. The site has already been designed and is waiting to be built. The specifics of the site are still being worked out as well.

Rev. Myra Brown, who is a part of developing ideas for the site, said that the area would help tell the stories of the black freedom struggle that is a part of the community’s past. These include the 1963 sit-in for police brutality and the 1967 protest against poor housing. Brown is excited that the Civil Rights site will be a learning experience for the entire city, not just the nearby community.