All of us at Seattle Parks Foundation were saddened to hear the news of the passing of Dr. Homer Harris. He was truly one of Seattle's greatest heroes.
This remarkable man is the namesake for Homer Harris Park, at 2401 E. Howell St., near Dr. Harris' birthplace in the Central Area. We encourage people to visit this park to remember Dr. Harris and his legacy.
In the meantime, I offer the following remarks about Dr. Harris, the impression he made on those around him and the park named after him.
THE REQUEST
This is a story of an amazing man who inspired a beautiful park and a friendship that inspired a $1.3 million gift to the Seattle Parks Foundation.
The Parks Foundation had been open less than a year. We had just completed three children's play areas in Southeast Seattle and were starting to design Lake Union Park.
One day, we received a call from a man whom I had never met but I knew by reputation as a civic, professional and philanthropic leader.
We met, and he immediately made it clear that he was not at all interested in any of our projects. No, instead, he was interested in providing funds for a brand-new park in Seattle!
There were just two conditions: The donor's name was to remain anonymous, and the park was to be named Homer Harris Park.
When we asked who Homer was, he told us this story.
AN INSPIRING INDIVIDUAL
Dr. Homer Harris was born and raised in the Central Area. He was an only child, and nearby parks were his back yard, where he met his friends every day.
Homer was exceptionally gifted. He had a unique athletic ability, excelling in all sports, and soon became a star athlete at Stevens Elementary School, Meany Junior High School and Garfield High School. Homer was an excellent scholar and was at the top of his class throughout his schooling. And, he was a natural lead-er, kind, considerate, friendly and loyal.
By the time Homer was in his senior year at Garfield High School, he was a local legend. When he led his team to victory in the 1933 Turkey Day game at Memorial Stadium before a crowd of 25,000, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer headline exclaimed "Harris Saves the Day."
About that same time, another young man was growing up in a much different - affluent - neighborhood in Seattle. This youth had read so much about Homer, he wanted to meet him. He found his way to the Central Area and knocked on the door, and it took but a few minutes for them to become lifelong friends.
In the meantime, despite Homer's excellent grades and athletic record, he decided not to attend the University of Washington because their football coach was not receptive to an African American joining the team.
Instead, he attended University of Iowa, where his teammates voted him the first black captain in Big 10 history, and he would have gone on to play in the NFL, but no blacks were allowed.
Homer then attended Meharry Medical School and earned a medical degree. He completed his residency in dermatology, during which he met the love of his life, Dorothy, and they were married for more than 50 years.
Homer decided to return to Seattle to set up practice in the Medical-Dental Building in Downtown Seattle, but a petition was circulated to keep him out. Homer called on his friend to help him out.
After a nasty struggle with the management, Dr. Harris moved in and practiced for more than 40 years. He ended up with one of the largest and most successful dermatology practices in the West.
He touched thousands of patients in profound ways. One told us that she was terribly self-conscious because of acne, and when he met her, he looked her straight in the eye and said, "You are a beautiful person" and "I will help you." This changed the entire way she viewed her life - he had that way with people.
HONORING A LEGACY
He lived a full life of friends and family. The legacy of Dr. Homer Harris might have ended here.
However, remember that old friend? Well, it was that friend who walked into the Seattle Parks Foundation office to say he wanted to donate $1.3 million to create a brand-new park to honor Homer Harris.
He talked about their deep friendship and about the fact that, despite discrimination and other hardships, Homer always maintained his sense of humor, priorities and confidence.
He said that Homer was a role model for him and his story should be told so that all young people would be similarly motivated and inspired.
And, he said that he could think of no better way to honor this legacy than with a park: Parks are for everyone, regardless of their ethnicity or financial background. Parks are free and open year-round, full of peace and beauty, the core of our communities and represent the very best of our city.
And so it was. After two years of planning, design and construction, Homer Harris Park was opened in Seattle's Central Area and dedicated with a celebration like no other. It included the Total Experience Gospel Choir, a traditional African blessing ceremony and hundreds of people who joined together to honor Homer Harris.
This gift had a profound impact on not only our city, but on the Seattle Parks Foundation as well - giving it immediate credibility. Since then, the foundation has gone on to complete three brand-new parks and 18 park projects, raised more $20 million for parks throughout the city and is now in the final stretch of a major capital campaign for Lake Union Park - an unprecedented success for an organization just 6 years old.
The legacy of Homer Harris lives on!
MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR
We thank Dr. Homer Harris for his perseverance in the face of adversity, for his sense of humor and love and for being a role model for us all!
Karen Daubert, a Leschi resident, is the executive director of the Seattle Parks Foundation.
[[In-content Ad]]
