Nyema Clark and company cut the ceremonial ribbon at the Black Panther Park Grand Opening in Skyway, Washington on Sunday. (Photo: Susan Fried)

Sunday, April 19 marked a long-awaited moment of resilience and representation in Skyway, Washington when the community gathered for the grand opening of Black Panther Park, honoring the history and legacy of the Seattle Black Panther chapter.

As areas of King County continue to face cultural displacement, Black Panther Park was born as a point of cultural connection for the county’s largest concentration of Black residents, also becoming the nation's first park dedicated to the movement. By dedicating the space to those who shaped the community's past, Black Panther Park stands as a permanent symbol of local Black history.

Nyema Clark addresses the crowd at the Black Panther Park Grand Opening in Skyway, Washington on Sunday. (Photo: Susan Fried)

A Vision Nine Years in the Making

The journey to this opening began nine years ago, originally spearheaded by Skyway Solutions. When the organization closed in 2018, Nyema Clark, founder and "farm queen" of Nurturing Roots Farm, was enlisted to lead the project. Serving as the general contractor and co-designer, Clark decided to dedicate the park to the Black Panther Party.

"I really wanted to create a space where folks could remember the movement that was so pivotal, especially here in our community," Clark said, noting that many young people today have little association with this history.

Grounded in Survival and Support

According to Clark, The park’s design is intentionally rooted in the Black Panther Party’s survival programs and community initiatives. Visitors will find practical resources integrated directly into the landscape:

A Food Pantry and Lending Library: These elements lean into the Party's efforts, such as their famous free breakfast program, providing direct access to essential resources for the community.
Nourishment and Healing: The space features an amphitheater-style layout filled with herbs and berries, encouraging neighbors to harvest, share, and learn about the benefits of these plants.
Artistic Legacy: Nine local artists were commissioned to create murals depicting the movement, ranging from historical depictions to futuristic anime-inspired art.

Host of the grand opening Deaunte Damper spoke on the importance of honoring the Black Panthers’ legacy and their historic community initiatives.

“When we're talking about community feeding, when we're talking about pushing for community folks to get the healthcare that they need... the Black Panthers really set the tone for a brother like me,” he said.

Why Skyway? Why the Panthers?

For Clark, the choice of location and theme was personal and cultural. Skyway currently holds the highest concentration of Black residents in King County. As gentrification continues to push many out of Seattle's Central District, this park stamps Northwest Black history in the region’s soil.

"A lot of that has been lost when I think about even the cultural connection of our community in the Central District, because we were pushed out," Clark said.

A Community Coming Together

The ribbon-cutting was a star-studded and emotional event, drawing attendance from original Black Panther Party members Aaron Dixon, Elmer Dixon, and Michael Dixon, activist Fred Hampton Jr., and support from Ryan Coogler, director of the Marvel film Black Panther, who sent a representative to the event.

Looking Forward

As the park begins its life in the Skyway community, the hope is that it will remain a place of inspiration for decades to come. Whether it is used for elders' reading circles, community gatherings, or simply a place to touch grass, the park represents nearly a decade of not giving up.

"The opening of this park...doesn’t mean the movement is done,” Damper said. “It shows what happens when we continue to mobilize, continue to uplift Black and brown folks, continue to protect Black women, and above all else, not back down.”

For those looking to learn more about the mural artists and how to get involved with the park, Nurturing Roots has launched a dedicated landing page.