Planned Raleigh park to include sculpture, amphitheater

>>> ORGANIZERS ARE A STEP

CLOSER TO BUILDING A PARK

DEDICATED TO HIGHLIGHTING AN

AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN

NORTH CAROLINA.

>> THEY'VE SECURED A LEASE ON A

PLOT OF LAND LOCATED AT THE

CORNER OF WILMINGTON AND LANE

STREETS IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH,

WHERE THEY HOPE TO BUILD A

PUBLIC SCULPTURE PARK AND

EDUCATIONAL AMPHITHEATER.

THEY FOUND OUT WHY DEVELOPERS

SAY THE PROJECT IS LONG

OVERDUE.

>> Reporter: ORGANIZERS CHOSE

THIS ONE ACRE LOT TUCKED IN

DOWNTOWN RALEIGH, BECAUSE OF

ITS PROXIMITY TO LAWMAKERS, TO

REMIND THEM OF THE

CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN

AMERICANS TO NORTH CAROLINA.

IT MAY BE HARD TO IMAGINE RIGHT

NOW, BUT THIS LOT BETWEEN

WILMINGTON AND LANE STREET MAY

SOON BECOME A CULTURAL HUB FOR

THOUSANDS OF VISITORS.

>> A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS HAVE

HAPPENED IN NORTH CAROLINA THAT

ARE POSITIVE, AS WELL AS SOME

NEGATIVE THINGS, BUT WE WANT TO

SHOW BOTH.

>> Reporter: THE FREEDOM PARK

MONUMENT PROJECT WILL HIGHLIGHT

THE AFRICAN AMERICAN LEGACY.

CHALLENGING, BECAUSE THAT

LEGACY CONTINUES TO UNFOLD

EVERY DAY.

>> IT'S HARD TO PUT UP

MONUMENTS TO EACH PERSON, BUT

TO PUT UP A MONUMENT TO THE

EFFORT, AND TO HELP US ALL

LEARN FROM THAT EFFORT, I THINK

THAT'S WHERE THIS FITS IN.

>> Reporter: COMMITTEE MEMBERS

HAVE AN AGREEMENT TO LEASE THE

LAND.

>> THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE

AMPHITHEATER AREA.

IT WOULD BE AN EDUCATIONAL USE

FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN COMING

THROUGH HERE.

AND FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO

LEARN MORE.

>> Reporter: IT'S A STORY THAT

THESE TWO MEN ARE FIGHTING TO

TELL.

>> THIS IS A TIME TO REALLY

RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT AFRICAN

AMERICANS PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT

ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF

NORTH CAROLINA FROM THE VERY

BEGINNING AND CONTINUE TO DO

SO.

>> Reporter: WRAL NEWS,

RALEIGH.

>>> ORGANIZERS HOPE TO RAISE $5

MILLION OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND

A HALF.

THEY PLAN TO COMPLETE

CONSTRUCTION BY 2022.

TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN HELP,