Dunn Gardens in Support of Black Lives Matter
The Dunn Gardens stands in support of Black Lives Matter and are deeply saddened by the brutal violence and senseless killings occurring across the country. We recognize the growing disparities within our communities due to deep-rooted racial injustices and acknowledge our duty to proactively address these inequalities as an agent for positive change.
The creation of the E.B. Dunn Historic Garden Trust in 1993 was to provide a garden open for the public to enjoy. While we strive to provide a tranquil, inclusive and safe green space, we must first acknowledge our roots. Designed by the Olmsted Brothers Landscape firm in 1915 as a private family garden, enjoyment of this space was limited to friends and family. Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) was a pioneer in recognizing the disparities in access to such public and private green space, writing, "The enjoyment of the choicest natural scenes in the country and the means of recreation connected with them is thus a monopoly, in a very peculiar manner, of a very few very rich people. The great mass of society, including those to whom it would be of the greatest benefit, is excluded from it."
Today, we recognize this monopoly still exists. We continually seek to make the Dunn Gardens welcoming and inclusive, and recognize our responsibility to proactively reach out to the Black community and people of color to listen, seek varying perspectives and take action to diversify our Board, staff and visitors.
We look forward to sharing, learning and growing together, and welcome any suggestions to strengthen our ties with diverse populations in our city and region.