If you’ve been to the Library’s Douglass-Truth Branch lately, located in the heart of Seattle’s Central District at 23rd Ave. and E. Yesler Way, you might have done a double take. The Soul Pole, the totem-pole-like wooden sculpture that has stood on the lawn of the branch since 1973, is gone.
The 21-foot sculpture, which the Black Heritage Society of Washington State (BHS) has called “a beacon of pride that anchors the history of Black people to Seattle’s Central District,” was deinstalled in April 2021. After decades of withstanding Seattle weather, it had deteriorated in condition and become a safety hazard. Working with Artech Fine Art Services, the Library embarked on a project to assess its condition and see if it could be repaired and conserved.
We have good news to share: The Soul Pole will return to its historic spot in the next few weeks. With Landrieu Conservation, Artech was able to complete a conservation project on the Soul Pole that has prepared it to withstand several more decades of Seattle weather.
While the Soul Pole has been down, the Library has collaborated with Stephanie Johnson-Toliver, president of BHS, to gain new insights into the Soul Pole’s history. In the first of a short series on the Soul Pole, Stephanie shared her perspective on this project:
Can you tell us a bit about the Black Heritage Society?
The Black Heritage Society of Washington State maintains the largest public collections of African-American memorabilia in the state. We’re partners with the Museum of History and Industry, where we archive our collections. We’ve been around since 1977. So we are all about collecting history and preserving it.
Our collections are public, which means that folks can request an appointment, come on in and see the hundreds and thousands of images and documents that we hold in trust. There are COVID restrictions right now. But please do follow us online and ask your questions, and we’ll get back to you. You can email BHS at blackheritagesocietywa@gmail.com.
How did you feel when you first heard that the Soul Pole would be deinstalled?
I first learned about the Soul Pole deinstallation through Crystal Tolbert-Bell, who is the historian with AKA sorority [which founded the Douglass-Truth Branch’s African-American collection and has supported it since 1965]. She received a communication from the Library. And of course, right away, my radar went up: “No!!! Not the Pole!”
The Pole is significant on the corner of 23rd & E. Yesler Way, no matter how many times you drive or walk by.
Initially, I was heartbroken about the fact that the Pole may need to come down. The trigger was how our neighborhood has lost some of its resemblance to our African-American history and footprint in the Central District. It was one more thing to lose.
Eventually, I came to see the deinstall as a blessing. The removal gave me a new appreciation for something that I saw nearly every day but took for granted. I began to ask questions to know more about the creation of the Soul Pole. My curiosity made me dig deeper into its history. I’m driven to find out more and to record, document, and share it. Together, The Seattle Public Library and the Black Heritage Society are doing this.
Can you talk about the history of the Soul Pole?
From news articles and the plaque at the base of the Pole, we know that it was carved by six artists associated with the Seattle Rotary Boys Club in the summer of 1969, as a series of figures to represent 400 years of African-American history. The Seattle Rotary Boys Club art director, Raqib Mu’ied (named Gregory X at the time), led the project and five students worked with him. We think they were all students at Garfield High School: Brenda Davis, Larry Gordon, Gregory Jackson, Cindy Jones, and Gaylord Young. More students were probably involved as well.
The Club gifted the Soul Pole to the Library in 1972, and it was installed outside what was then the Yesler Branch Library in 1973, two years before it was renamed the Douglass-Truth Branch in honor of abolitionists Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth. The Friends group with Roberta Byrd Barr and Millie Russell co-led a campaign in the community to have the Library renamed for an African American significant to Black history.
What about the Soul Pole’s significance to the Central District?
First, it directs our attention to African-American history. It’s driven by pride and sense of place, standing in a historically Black neighborhood. It stands as an artistic tribute that is the anchoring of the African-American footprint in the Central District. When the Soul is gone, naturally, there’s heartbreak and distress.
What’s your personal connection to this story?
I’m a fourth-generation Seattleite. My grandparents owned homes in the Central District. When I was very young, my mother, sister, and I lived with my grandparents in the Central District, and eventually my mother was able to buy a home on Beacon Hill. In the 60s, it became easier and more open for Black folks to buy homes on Beacon Hill. But, I’ve been solidly grounded in the Central District for all the years I’ve lived in Seattle. I’ve owned a house in the CD for more than 30 years. It is my home. Leading at the Black Heritage Society, I’m always interested in the history of the African American community as I pursue and lift its legacies.
You and the Library have been working together to learn more about the Soul Pole’s history. What are some highlights?
I’m excited by the connections to people who have been touched by the Soul Pole or have artistically touched the Pole in some way. As I looked through the Seattle Municipal Archives [about the history of the Soul Pole], there are communications back and forth between the Library and community stakeholders including Millie Russell [a community activist who cofounded the Black Friends of Yesler Library], and others such as Sam Smith [the first Black Seattle City Councilmember]. The documents also refer to Mel Streeter, who was a fabulous Black architect in Seattle.
All the pieces are beginning to connect and putting them together is what keeps pushing me. The more I listen, talk, and share, the more I find out. For example, we have connected to several family members of the sculptors, including the son of Raqib Mu’ied, who was art director for the project. We are making other connections to family members of the Rotary Boys Club leadership at the time.
How did you feel about the news that the Soul Pole will be reinstalled in its historic spot on the Douglass-Truth lawn?
I’m full of excitement, and I applaud the Library for being determined to make sure that they were doing the right thing to conserve the Pole and invest in the spirit of the community. When the Pole returns in February, there will be a lot of people jumping up and down for joy.
What do you want Seattleites to take away from this project?
One of the biggest takeaways is that we collectively can work together to preserve places and art that define us. People understand that they can impact the direction of preservation in this city. When you talk out loud about a passion for saving places you will meet others who want to do the grassroots preservation work that celebrates the history of our communities.
And to all the young folks who utilize the Douglass-Truth library, I hope you will stop and take a moment to know the history of the Soul Pole.
More resources and projects with the Black Heritage Society of Washington State
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BHS is co-presenting a series of events around the Washington State History Museum’s upcoming “Negro Motorist Green Book” exhibit, including an all-day Green Book program at MOHAI on Saturday, Feb. 19. Green Book exhibit: BHS is co-presenting a series of events around the Washington State History Museum’s upcoming “Negro Motorist Green Book” exhibit, starting with an all-day Green Book program at MOHAI on Saturday, Feb. 19. Keep an eye open for a Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) Story Time featuring a picture book titled “Ruth and The Green Book.” SPL is also compiling a list that highlights books aligned to the topic of The Green Book.
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Routed in History – bus shelter mural at Douglass-Truth Branch Routed in History: The Black Heritage Society collaborated with community stakeholders and King County Metro on a project called “Routed in History,” a series of photo murals on seven bus shelters throughout the Central District. The shelter at 23rd and E. Yesler Way honors the Douglass-Truth Branch and the Soul Pole, including this photo from MOHAI of Rotary Club art director Raqib Mu’ied on the day it was originally installed.
- Walking and Online Tours: The Black Heritage Society collaborated with partners to develop an online/walking tour for the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation – African American Heritage Sites in King County/Central District. Download the app or you can use the content online. See the Washington State Jewish Historical Society walking and virtual tour Seattle Historic Sephardic Jewish Tour, which mentions the Douglass-Truth Library. HistoryLink has a tour of the Central District, available through its website and app, which includes the Douglass-Truth Branch. The Wing Luke Museum will unveil its Redline walking tour shortly. It moves through the Central District, and they will stop at Douglass-Truth Branch.
Shelf Talk 
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