Next Steps
In 2025, our working group will be meeting with the City of Trenton, learning from planners from across New Jersey, and preparing for design meetings in the community. We're canvassing the neighborhood this summer, seeking community feedback as we, fingers crossed, reopen the design conversations. Look for us at National Night Out on Tuesday, August 5th, at the Rescue Mission.
Our Timeline
April 2018
The Trenton Project, led by Purcell Carson and Alison Isenberg, hosts an evening of community memory and public history, bringing the city and the family of Harlan Joseph together to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the King Uprisings and the killing of Harlan Joseph.
Summer 2018
Mary Gay Abott-Young and Barrett Young meet with Robert Blaser from Michael Graves Architects to brainstorm ideas for a park on Ewing Street. The firm hosts a summer design charente with interns.
August 2018
Sharon Joseph, Harlan Joseph's sister, sees the plans for the park and suggests naming not a "memorial" but a "Peace Park."
April 2023
Mayor Reed Gusciora and Councilwoman Jennifer Williams dedicate a historical marker, memorializing the so-called "Trenton Riots" and Harlan Joseph. Rhonda Killingsworth, Harlan's sister, speaks at the dedication.
May 2023
Thanks to the momentum created by the city's historic marker, our core team decides to revise this idea, post pardemic. We gathered in Prospect House at Princeton University to plan next immediate steps for meetings in the community and with City Hall.
The timing is good. Austin Edwards, a lawyer and community organizer in Trenton joins the group -- just as he finishes a Master's in Public Policy at Princeton University. Congrats, Austin!
Summer 2023
Community meetings at the Rescue Mission to start the process of planning the park and bringing in a wide range of voices. Council Members Jennifer Williams, Crystal Feliciano, and Jasi Edwards attend as does Ms. Rhonda Killingsworth, Harlan Joseph's sister.
Winter 2024
We are gathering stakeholders and talking to the city and its lawyers, trying to understand the structures needed to create a park like this in the neighborhood.
June 2025
Still more progress!!
We're grateful for the interest and enthusiasm of new partners in the process. Thanks to the energy and expertise of Jay Watson and Anthony Cucchi at the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, we are a few steps closer to building a framework that will contain this park. Wonderful ideas came from Mercer County's park planners and the stewards of the state's amazing Green Acres program, which works to bring green spaces to concrete cities.
​
Speaking of: take a look at the NJCF's Trees for Trenton program, and it's video.
July 2025
This summer, we've been honored to team up with an initiative at The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Truth and Repair, to start conversations in the community. Skyler Gordon, the project's manager, and Serita Sargent, a PhD candidate at Rutgers have been developing a questionnaire and canvassing in the neighborhood. They've been writing reports to share with our stakeholders and the design team. This is all part of the process of understanding what this diverse community REALLY wants in a park and how to bring residents into the design process. The conversations have surprised and inspired us.
August 2025
The Rescue Mission hosted a barbecue for National Night Out -- giving us an opportunity to canvas neighbors and clients about their wishes and concerns about a park on Ewing Street.
​
People talked about the pleasures of benches, grills and workout equipment. They discussed the need for bathrooms, safety, and rain shelter. We talked about how to make families and children safe. And how to keep a park clean.
​
"If there's a place for people to sit still and gather their thoughts—they can make better choices."
"When it's hot out, maybe something where you can take a little bird bath."
"If it's named after a Black man, then I'm in favor."
"If it's for the kids, then swings. Definitely swings."
