The Friends of the Edmondson Homesite Park & Gardens
Our Mission
Established 2018, our mission is to preserve, protect, enhance and activate the William Edmondson Homesite Park and Gardens as a living legacy to groundbreaking African American William Edmondson, and to foster a creative, vibrant, and safe public space for all of Nashville to enjoy.
Board of Directors 2026
Brenda Morrow - President
Mark Schlicher - Vice President
Elizabeth Moss Evans - Treasurer
Mari Clare Derrick
Austin Fernandez
Victoria Hensley
Christine Romeo
Tremonisha West
EMERITA BOARD MEMBERS
Katherine Huntoon
Brad MacLean
Cynthia Clark Matthews
Gloria McKissack
Greg Westbrook
Tyson Heller
Vincent Phamvan
William Edmondson Historic Homesite
William Edmondson, born in 1874 to formerly-enslaved parents, began a brief, but prolific and impactful sculpting career around 1932 at age 57. A self-taught limetone carver of tombstones and garden ornaments, Edmondson came to the attention of local white art collectors, and, In 1937 he became the first African-American to earn a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. His renowned works are now held in major museums throughout America and command auction prices in excess of $700,00. His home and workshop stood in the heart of Nashville’s Edgehill neighborhood at 1434 14th Avenue South, where he sculpted his artworks up until his death in 1951. The site is now public greenspace maintained by our volunteer nonprofit.
History of the Edmondson Homesite Park
The Edgehill neighborhood has been in existence since the close of the Civil War, when it was first settled by formerly-enslaved people and their descendants. By the 1920's, it had grown into a stable and close-knit African-American community of both working-class and professionals. Edgehill's rich history includes many groundbreaking figures, including 19th century activist Callie House, architect Moses McKissack, and Grand Ole Opry star DeFord Bailey.
Sculptor William Edmondson’s his home (which also functioned as his studio) once stood on the park land that we are fighting to preserve, protect, and enhance. A Tennessee historic marker currently indicates the location of his homesite as it once stood within this park.
In the 1950s the Nashville Housing Agency (NHA), as part of Urban Renewal, cleared the homes that stood on the southern end of the park (including William Edmondson’s home) and built the Murrell Elementary School.
In 1968, the NHA (now MDHA) used eminent domain power to take the residential properties on the north half of the park property and bulldoze the remaining homes, initially for a school expansion and, when those plans changed, to expand the Edgehill public housing projects.
Facing fierce opposition to the public housing plans from civil rights leaders Mansfield Douglas, Jr., Rev. Bill Barnes and others, the city and MDHA backed down, but abandoned the property as a barren field, which it mostly remained for thirty years, until 2001.
In the 1990’s, Organized Neighbors of Edgehill (O.N.E., the longest running grassroots advocacy non-profit in Edgehill) established the Edgehill Memorial Community Garden, one of Nashville's first recognized community gardens.
In 2001 O.N.E. won a Community Development Block Grant from Metro establish the park and it’s current amenities, including the playground site, walking trails, and picnic pavilions.
In May of 2018, the city abruptly announced their intention to sell the entire property, including the park, garden, and school, to private developers. Seeing that the park was in grave immediate danger of being sold and developed, the Save The William Edmondson Homesite Coalition was quickly formed. The community rallied together, held meetings, contacted local officials, and drew up a petition that garnered over 3000 signatures. We educated Metro Council and the school board of the historic importance, deep community connection, and ongoing civic value of this beloved public greenspace.
Because of our activism, Metro Council voted unanimously to stop the sale of the property. Since that vote in the summer of 2018, the neighborhood has continued to make improvements to the park with locally raised funds, including installing new trash cans, putting up dog waste stations, refurbishing the basketball court, planting 50+ trees with the Nashville Tree Foundation to qualify as a state arboretum, and building a brand-new playground.
Today, the fate of the William Edmondson Homesite Park and Gardens appears safe, for the moment, from the threat of inappropriate development. However, it still suffers from lack of long-term vision and capital investment by Metro Nashville government. We continue to advocate for much-needed capital improvements including a new Edgehill branch public library, a William Edmondson Cultural Arts Center with art instruction and galleries and performance spaces, and historic interpretation features.
We appreciate your help and your support to continue our efforts to protect and improve upon this valued community greenspace. Please sign up for our occasional newsletter, email alerts, and volunteer opportunities. And please consider a donation at the link in the menu above.
Edmondson's Workshop
"Wisdom, that's what the Lord gave me at birth, but I didn't know it till He came and told me about it. It's wonderful when God gives you something. You've got it for good, and yet you ain't got it. You got to do it and work for it. I do according to the wisdom of God. He gives me mind and hand, and then I go ahead and carve these things you see here." - William Edmondson
Edmondson's Workshop
“This here stone and all those out there in the yard—came from God. It’s the work of Jesus speaking his mind in my mind. I must be one of His disciples. These here is miracles I can do. Can’t nobody do these but me. Jesus has planted the seed of carving in me.” - William Edmondson, 1937