Educational installations at memorial park tell the story of racial incident 100 years ago that helped lead to the dismantling of the
Dr. Ossian Sweet Educational Plaza
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Dr. Ossian Sweet Educational Plaza is a 0.2 acre park located at 2921 Garland in District 5 of Detroit's East Side. Amenities at the park include educational signage, benches, and newly planted trees, shrubs, and additional vegetation in planter boxes and landscaped beds.
KEY LINKS
Park Maintenance, Trash Pick Up and Other Issues
PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
The City of Detroit General Services Department was awarded funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”) to fund two initiatives pursuant to the development of a public space that commemorates and memorializes the history and legacy of Dr. Ossian Sweet and the influence of the events that unfolded in 1925: an outdoor Educational Plaza and Historic Interpretive Master Plan.
IMPORTANCE OF THE OSSIAN SWEET PROJECT
Dr. Ossian Sweet is not only a significant African American figure in Detroit's history, his legacy extends across the Nation. The events of 1925 paved the way for equal opportunity in housing and the protection of civil liberties, regardless of race. While the scope of the Ossian Sweet Project has slightly changed since WXYZ produced this story in 2021, the overall intent remains the same. Please watch this 6-minute video about who Dr. Ossian Sweet was, what happened on the night of September 9, 1925, and why every American has benefitted from the struggles of the Sweet Family.
RECENT UPDATES
Park construction is COMPLETE!
By the end of the summer season, the installation of the new memorial plaza celebrating the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Ossian Sweet was completed. A ribbon-cutting took place on August 13th, 2025 to celebrate the transformation of the once vacant land to a beautiful new park for the East Village Neighborhood community.
PARK TRANSFORMATION
See how the vision for Dr. Ossian Sweet Memorial Park came to life in these before and after photos of the park!
PAST PROJECT INFORMATION
OUTDOOR EDUCATIONAL PLAZA
The Educational Plaza adjacent to Dr. Sweet’s home will combine the area of the two (2) adjacent parcels: 2915 Garland and 2921 Garland. The total acreage of the new Educational Plaza will be approximately .2 acres. General Services is working on the early stages of design for this project.
HISTORIC INTERPRETIVE PLAN
A Historic Interpretive Master Plan encompasses all of the interactive learning elements (signage, QR codes) that will be included in and associated with the Educational Plaza as well as site operations and maintenance. We will also be exploring site circulation and pedestrian safety.
MORE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Click here to read the Official Historical Account of the Sweet Story
The Dr. Ossian Sweet House
The Dr. Ossian Sweet House, located at 2905 Garland Street, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a registered Michigan State Historical Site (#S0461). Dr. Ossian Sweet, a prominent African American physician, purchased this home in what was an all-white Detroit neighborhood. In 1925, the property became the site of a racial incident that resulted in a nationally publicized murder trial that significantly impacted the greater Civil Rights movement. The House is privately owned & operated by the Ossian Sweet Foundation.
For more information:
National Park Service National Register of Historic Places
Detroit Historical Society: Encyclopedia of Detroit - Sweet, Ossian
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Rayshaun Landrum - Landscape Designer
Theresa Mcarleton - Chief Parks Planner