John Lewis Flowering Forest

Thank you for another amazing year expanding the Flowering Forest, a tree tribute to John Lewis.

View our photo gallery from Friday, Feb. 23 and Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.

Large group of volunteers planting trees on a slope

Flower Forest Planting 2024 Project Dates

Friday, February 23 and Saturday, February 24

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The Flowering Forest, a tree tribute to John Lewis, was started in 2021. Trees Atlanta, the Freedom Park Conservancy, and The National Center for Civil and Human Rights host this annual community planting event to honor the late civil rights leader.

With the help of volunteers, trees will be planted in this multiyear project until thousands of flowering trees, shrubs, and daffodils continuously line the 1.5 miles of the John Lewis Freedom Parkway that connects John Lewis Plaza (near the memorial sculpture dedicated to John Lewis, “The Bridge” by Thorton Dial) to The King Center by way of The Carter Center.

The project was inaugurated with the first 300 flowering trees planted in Freedom Park. The tree species we’ve selected begin to bloom in late winter. The park and parkway start to pop with color as early spring teases its arrival and is a timely celebration of Lewis’s birthday on February 21.

 

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The Flower Forest 2024 planting is funded by these sponsors through our partnership with Arbor Day Foundation. The tree tribute to John Lewis is an ongoing Trees Atlanta collaboration with the City of Atlanta, Freedom Park Conservancy, and National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Thank you!

Video courtesy of Arbor Day Foundation.

Photo Gallery from the Project Kickoff and yearly Volunteer Planting Projects

View additional photos and read about Year 1 Kickoff or Year 2 projects and view photos from past years.

Archive – 2021 Project Kickoff

300 Blooming Trees to Establish Spectacular Tree Tribute to Congressman John Lewis

Flowering Forest – a Tree Tribute to Civil Rights Leader John Lewis

 

Photo Gallery from project.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms shares this message of support for the Flowering Forest.

 

In addition to our distinguished speakers who will honor the late Congressman John Lewis at the Saturday planting day, these messages of support for the establishment of this meaningful tribute has been recorded by Georgia Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff and Atlanta City Councilmember Andre Dickens.



 

Honoring a life-long legacy of public service, a living tree tribute is being created in memorial to the late Congressman John Lewis in Freedom Park. Hundreds of blooming plants, including over 300 blooming trees, colorful flowering shrubs, and fields of daffodils will be planted in the first phase of a multi-year project. A 3-day volunteer planting project is scheduled for February 19, 20, and 21, ending on Sunday, which would have been John Lewis’s 81st birthday. Volunteers who wish to participate in the tree planting are required to register in advance (registration closed).

 

Artist's rendering of future John Lewis Blooming Forest

© Freedom Park Conservancy. Artist’s rendering of John Lewis Freedom Parkway planted with a celebration of blooming trees.

 

The trees and flowering plants have been selected for their early blooming in late winter (specifically around February) to celebrate the civil rights icon’s birthday with a spectacular blooming event each year. The desire to honor John Lewis’ life and legacy inspired the Freedom Park Conservancy, Trees Atlanta, and The National Center for Civil and Human Rights to bring together their commitments to community stewardship, urban tree cover, and civic storytelling. 

Harriett Lane, Freedom Park Conservancy Chair acknowledges “Freedom Park has an important legacy in the areas of art, activism and nature, and this tree installation will honor John Lewis and allow us to reinforce his legacy for future generations. Today John Lewis Plaza within Freedom Park is anchored by the The Bridge, a work of sculptor Thornton Dial, which represents Congressman Lewis’ lifelong quest for the advancement of civil and human rights.” 

The John Lewis Plaza is a space committed to celebrating his life. The park area around the Plaza provides the perfect venue for the initial planting of hundreds of flowering trees that will bring color into the space as a continuing celebration of his legacy. The “Flowering Forest – a Tree Tribute” planting project takes place in February allowing the public to honor Lewis’ birthday on February 21 as well as celebrate Black History Month and Georgia Arbor Day (February 19, 2021). 

Over a five-year period, the Freedom Park Conservancy will lead the effort to extend the Flowering Forest with additional hundreds of blooming trees through Freedom Park, the largest linear park in the City of Atlanta, along the length of John Lewis Freedom Parkway to Boulevard. A stunning landmark corridor of blooming trees will link John Lewis Plaza, The Carter Center, and The King Center. Tree selections will include mostly native varieties of redbuds, magnolias, dogwoods, yellowwoods, buckeyes, fringe trees, and other flowering species.

Greg Levine, Co-Executive Director of Trees Atlanta noted, “This February’s planting will create a natural annual blooming event that celebrates a great man who represented Atlanta for nearly four decades. Our tree tribute will continue growing for generations to honor his impact on social justice.”

Late Congressman John Lewis

© Chantale Wong IG: @chantale1, used with permission for Trees Atlanta. “Tybre Faw and his grandmothers drove 7 hours from Tennessee and stood out in the hot sun for hours in hopes that he would get a chance to see his hero John Lewis, March 2017.”

 

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights’ Head of Programs & Exhibitions, Dr. Calinda Lee explained, “Congressman Lewis sowed seeds of hope and equity. His life’s work was an undaunted fight for civil and human rights — without prejudice or exception. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is honored to join this partnership to celebrate John L. Lewis’s legacy and to serve as a tangible reminder of the beauty that can grow from a commitment to stay in good trouble. We look forward to sharing the Congressman’s story to inspire the changemaker in each of us.”

 

About John Lewis: John Robert Lewis was an American statesman and civil rights leader who served in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia’s 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death in 2020. In 2018, a group of friends and leaders had the name of a major boulevard in Atlanta, Freedom Parkway, changed to honor Congressman Lewis. This boulevard is now called the John Lewis Freedom Parkway. 

About Freedom Park Conservancy:Freedom Park Conservancy is working to adopt a new master plan for the approximately 200-acre Freedom Park by Spring 2021. Learn more about us at www.freedompark.org. Freedom Park Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the improvement and preservation of the park for the benefit of a diverse public. Born out of formidable citizen activism linking the movements of environmentalism, urbanism, historic preservationism and more, Freedom Park is now one of Atlanta’s largest public green spaces. Our vision is for Freedom Park to be Atlanta’s most innovative green space, celebrated for its inspiring origin and beauty. 

About Trees Atlanta:  Trees Atlanta is a nonprofit community group that protects and improves Atlanta’s urban forest by planting, conserving, and educating. Since its founding in 1985, Trees Atlanta has planted over 140,000 trees throughout metro Atlanta with volunteers and partners to ensure environmental, social, and economic benefits of trees are available and abundant for the health and well-being of all communities. Trees Atlanta plants over 7,000 trees every year, including helping to design, install, and maintain the Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum; educates youth and adults through classroom lessons and hand-on training; and improves forested land by removing invasive species and restoring the native plant ecology of the area. Trees Atlanta is a trusted leader in organizing and demonstrating stewardship of our urban tree canopy. To volunteer and to learn more about the organization, please visit: treesatlanta.org.  

About the National Center for Civil and Human Rights: The National Center for Civil and Human Rights in downtown Atlanta is a cultural institution that connects the American Civil Rights Movement to the struggle for human rights around the world today. The Center features a continuously rotating exhibit from The Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection, which includes many of Dr. King’s documents and personal items. Visitors will be immersed in experiential exhibits through powerful and authentic stories, historic documents, compelling artifacts, and interactive activities. The Center is a source for ongoing dialogue — hosting educational forums and attracting world-renowned speakers and artists who work on a variety of human rights topics. For more information, visit www.civilandhumanrights.org. Join the conversation on civil and human rights: facebook.com/ctr4chr/ | instagram.com/ctr4chr/ | twitter.com/Ctr4CHR

Media Contact: judy@treesatlanta.org

The Blooming Forest – A Tree Tribute to John Lewis is organized in partnership of these local nonprofit organizations.

Freedom Park Conservancy logo National Center for Civil and Human Rights logo

 

Sponsors

This project is made possible with the support of the City of Atlanta, members of the Atlanta City Council, a generous sponsorship from UPS in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation and tree planting gifts from Trees Atlanta funders.

UPS Logo Arbor Day Foundation logo City of Atlanta logo