New Feature Added To "White Only" Water Fountain In Dallas
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - As Dallas prepares to remember the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, a symbol to remind all of us what life was like back then was unveiled on on Friday.
Inside the the Dallas County Records building, just a stone's throw away from Dallas' Dealey Plaza, sits a decades old public drinking fountain.
The fountain has now been turned into a reservoir of history, at the very spot where it once only quenched the thirst of Dallas' white citizens.
For the past decade, the county placed a sign next to the water fountain to explain the nearby muted image still visible to this day. If you look closely you can see the words, "White Only" still stained in the marble next to the fountain.
"We have the white only sign that resides here, that was part of the fabric of this building. But lets remember the people who fought to tear it down, that's what we need to honor," said artist Lauren Woods.
Woods decided to turn hurt into art. Now every time someone stops to get a drink, they see images from the battle against the Jim Crow era and racial segregation.
"While there are those who say this is a relic of the past, it is a reminder of how far we've come, and how far we have to go, said Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price.
Dallas resident Donald Payton remembers all too well Dallas' days of segregated water fountains.
"By the mere fact we can drink out of it today, shows you the changes Dallas has made for the better," said Payton.
The fountain is now deemed a sculpture, where people of every color can take a sip of its new resource.
Latest News:
Top Trending:
- Woman Forced To Strip And Serve Jail Time For Overdue Ticket
- Veteran Wants Flag Vandals To Take Responsibility For Crime
- Lightning Strikes Man Twice At Rednecks With Paychecks
- Sleepy Driver Crashes Into Mattress Store
- Jerry Jones: 'London Could Be An Expansion'
- PHOTOS: Your Pet Pictures
