The revival of the Black Family statue — and a lasting legacy of San Diego artist Rossie Wade — will be unveiled this Saturday in one of San Diego’s oldest parks.
The event, part of a Juneteenth celebration, is set for 11 a.m. at the Neal Petties Mountain View Park at 641 S Boundary St., near 40th St. and Oceanview Blvd.
Following the unveiling of the statue, there will be free food, a petting zoo, and free performances.
The original statue was made of painted redwood, which had deteriorated over time. All that remained of Wade’s original creation was its brick and mortar base. The new statue was created to respect and honor Wade’s image of Black values and community pride, as was the case when the original was dedicated in 1974, but this time rendered in stainless steel.
Saturday’s event signals the end of a decade-long journey to create a replacement for Wade’s original work.
Resident Jeffrey Hayes began the effort by appealing to the city to replace the statue. The idea was initially rejected by a city committee — but Hayes was relentless in his efforts.
His passion and focus would in time attract a small army of believers in his vision to replace the iconic statue of a Black family: a father, mother, son and daughter reaching for the sky.
The state of California officially recognized the importance of the statue to the community and dedicated $195,000 to restore the piece.
It was a float in a Martin Luther King Parade that provided the inspiration and the artist for the new Black Family statue. The float was created by students and a teacher from San Diego College of Continuing Education. Its purpose was to honor Wade, who had been an artist at the college and then largely forgotten.
Both of Wade’s daughters, Lynn Brown and Carole Wade Boyce, will be in attendance at the dedication. They’ve been anticipating this moment for years, working with Hayes on the quest to replace the statue. They see the work of art as not only a reformation of Black values but also a way to recognize their deceased father’s work.
Wade’s daughters and Hayes were enthusiastic about the float and the effort and creativity of the float’s creator Mike Bradbury, the resident artist at the college. Bradbury, with his students, were responsible for creating the new Black Family statue.
“I only wish Dad could know that his legacy has been revived, and it’s now as permanent as steel,” said Wade Boyce.
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