Eastlake Park

Eastlake Park has served Phoenix residents since the late 1880's. First known as Patton's Park and developed by the Phoenix Railway Company as a recreational area for trolley patrons, it later became a place where people of color could gather to relax and celebrate special events without violating separatist laws in the nation and Arizona during the first half of the 20th century. Its history is presented as one of peace rather than confrontation: during periods of civil rights turmoil in Arizona and the nation, it offered a haven for discussion, peaceful protest, and everyday recreation. The park was also linked to a broader civil rights history through events and milestones ranging from Booker T. Washington's 1911 speech there to a 1946 public meeting at the park where the local NAACP chapter called for civil rights laws in Arizona, alongside a long chronology of national and Arizona developments in African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, and Native American history.

Phoenix, Arizona · United States