Plaque to Commemorate an Historic Event in Washington Park

When the residents of our neighborhood take a stroll through Washington Park, our minds may drift to the natural beauty of its lakes, meadows, trees, and plants, as we enjoy its playgrounds, athletic facilities, recreation center, and quiet places to gather or relax—literally at our doorsteps. All of that is true, but we may not know the significance of this park in the history of our city.

During the early part of the last century, one of the most popular sites for recreation in Denver was the swimming beach on the northwestern side of Smith Lake in Washington Park (near the small building now used by the Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado), but this opportunity was not available to everyone. Although the only official restriction applied to people of Japanese descent, it was generally understood that other ethnic groups were not allowed to enjoy the lake and its beach. Eventually, the people who had been excluded for years could no longer accept this injustice.

On August 17, 1932, a group of about 150 African Americans decided to swim in the lake, but when they entered the water, white swimmers attacked them with clubs and stones. A fight broke out, which spread as a “race riot” through ten blocks of the adjacent residential areas.

Although many of us know about the burning of Denver’s Chinatown in 1880, there is little awareness of this tragic incident in Washington Park. When a group on social justice at the Epiphany Lutheran Church learned about the significance of this event in the history of our city, the church asked our City’s Parks and Recreation Department (DPR) to place a historic marker at the site of the former swimming beach on Smith Lake and made a formal proposal to DPR in February of 2023. This request was put on hold because of DPR’s plan to develop comprehensive guidelines for the signage in all of our parks and then delayed by cuts in the budget for the City of Denver. However, this initiative has now resumed through a cooperative agreement between DPR and our community. The three Registered Neighborhood Organizations for Washington Park have enthusiastically approved the proposed plaque. Council members Flor Alvidrez and Paul Kashmann, who represent the council districts on both sides of the park, have also expressed their support. The implementation of this project has now begun. Epiphany is reaching out to respected civic organizations to become community partners in this effort and assist in raising the necessary funds, and DPR is now in the final stage of selecting a design consultant for this initiative.

Although this plaque would be a relatively small project in a physical sense, we believe it would have a significant meaning in a symbolic sense as both a reminder of our nation's troubled past in segregation and a confirmation of our commitment to racial justice in the future.

To make a donation to support the Washington Park Plaque, click on the “DONATE” button at the top of this page. You will be taken to the Epiphany “Tithe.ly” donation page. In the top left column, “Give To:” click on the down arrow to open the dropdown tab and then select “Wash Park Plaque”. This will ensure your donation is directed to the funds restricted to the Wash Park Plaque. If you want to receive a charitable donation letter from Epiphany, please provide your email and mailing address in the bottom “Notes/memo” section.