Signal Boxes

African American legacy, culture, and identity is a core value of the HCAACD mission. We are grounded in our intentional approach to placemaking that supports a rooted sense of place and identity. The placemaking strategy is to work first from within the district boundaries to then visually define the geographic border that is historically known as the Redline.

In the midst of the COVID19 pandemic, HCAACD launched the Signal Box Project. The public art project is both visual and educational in its impact to instill cultural pride and community connectedness that illuminates people, places, and heritage sites to tell the stories of community-builders, changemakers, and influencers.

Artist Desmond Hansen was commissioned by HCAACD to create portraiture on six designated signal boxes at major intersections throughout the Central District corridor. Artist Perry Porter was sub-contracted to support the work alongside Hansen for one of the boxes. QR codes are adhered to each box that extend the visual storytelling to an educational opportunity that links an online biography or essay posted at HistoryLink.org and BlackPast.org The project funding supported QR code tracking for two years that provided feedback about user interaction. The Signal Box Project brought a wonderful, unexpected, and heightened response ignited by a sense of pride and remembrance. The project was a catalyst for the commission of additional boxes beyond the original six that were privately funded.

The Signal Box Project was funded by the Seattle Office of Economic Development. Special thanks to Seattle Department of Transportation for coordinating the sites.