The Southside Cultural Monument — designed by Jessica Scott-Felder, associate professor of studio arts at Wofford — was unveiled on June 14 in downtown Spartanburg. The installation shares and celebrates Spartanburg’s Southside community and the city’s Black history.
A crowd of close to 300 people gathered to witness the unveiling of the monument, which is located at the corner of Hudson Barksdale Boulevard and South Converse Street.
The nearly 150-foot-wide mixed-media piece is composed of photographs, text and illustrations imposed on plastic-like panels, which can be backlit and visible day or night. The panels are also replaceable and interchangeable, allowing for future additions and revisions.
“The idea is that the contributions that Spartanburg and its residents have to make don’t end with this monument. The monument is a catalog, and like a Rolodex, it can constantly be updated,” Scott-Felder says.
Place is an important aspect of the Southside Cultural Monument, Scott-Felder says. It is situated upon the Mary H. Wright Greenway, named for an influential African American educator and community activist in Spartanburg during the first half of the 20th century. The area was also home to Priscilla Young, who used fabric from her own clothing to sew the Freedom Flag, which freed African Americans flew during a Juneteenth celebration in Spartanburg in 1865.
Dozens of influential people, events, initiatives and places important to Spartanburg’s history are featured in the monument, selected by the Spartanburg African American Heritage & Culture Committee. Scott-Felder took the content to create a structure that includes sections that feature contributions in music, education, sports, leadership and faith.
“This monument shows that Spartanburg has a very vibrant narrative. The individuals who have lived here and who continue to call Spartanburg home have contributed in large and important ways to the growth of Spartanburg. I hope everyone sees an aspect of themselves in this monument,” she says.
Scott-Felder, a native of Atlanta, began this project a few years after she moved to Spartanburg to begin her faculty appointment at Wofford. She says collaborating to tell the story of her new community through the monument helped her find home and become a stronger servant leader.
“I think working on this has taught me to be a better listener, to stay true to the authentic voice and to be excited about the future,” she says.