On Thursday, June 15, more than 300 families, neighbors and friends gathered to experience a vibrant addition to North Nashville. Vanderbilt University, alongside Pepsi, Hoopbus and Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation, unveiled a revamped outdoor basketball court at the “Hoops & Hope: Celebrating Black History and Community” event at Watkins Park Community Center.
“This project is special to me and to all of us at Vanderbilt Athletics in the way it brings together sports, the arts and community around a message of hope. I know those concepts mattered to Perry Wallace, and he would be incredibly proud to see what is happening,” said Candice Storey Lee, vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs and athletic director for Vanderbilt University.
The mural on the court honors the legacy of Perry Wallace, the first African American basketball student-athlete in the Southeastern Conference. Wallace, who attended high school across the street from Watkins Park, made history when he enrolled at Vanderbilt in 1966 and broke the color barrier in the SEC. Wallace graduated from Vanderbilt in 1970. He died in 2017.
Representatives from Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt Football and Basketball teams, Pepsi, Hoopbus, Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation and local government were in attendance Thursday to commemorate the occasion and speak to the importance of community and wellness. Other notable guests included AND1 legend and street basketball player Randy “White Chocolate” Gill and Hustle star and former NBA player Elvin “Mr. Everything” Rodriguez. Vice Mayor Jim Shulman, state Sen. Charlane Oliver and Metro Nashville Council members also came to celebrate the court opening.
“We are proud to partner with Vanderbilt University to bring this court to life alongside our friends at Hoopbus and Metro Nashville Parks,” said Cyril Wallace, vice president and general manager of South Division, PepsiCo Beverages North America. “Together, this joint event truly serves as a reminder of the power of collaboration and the importance of preserving history and culture. We hope that this project will inspire and empower local community members of all ages to pursue their dreams.”
The collaboration is part of a broader initiative to promote local community engagement and physical activity throughout the greater Nashville area.
“I hope that the kids in this neighborhood have a great time playing basketball on this beautiful new court,” Lee said. “And I hope that we all continue to work together to build community, celebrate the history and pride of North Nashville, and support the arts.”
The court mural was designed by Donovan Sheffield, assistant director of human resources at Vanderbilt, and Madison Brinnon, a project manager within the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. The mural was dedicated to North Nashville’s contributions to local and national civil rights progress and was built to provide a safe and dependable playing surface for the community.
During the event, the North Nashville Arts Coalition led a project to design another community-created mural that will be on display at Watkins Community Center. Other nonprofits and organizations on site were Backfield in Motion, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Bethlehem Center, Dream Streets, Rocketship Public Schools, Soul’d and Oasis Center.
“North Nashville is a special place that has borne, nurtured and supported phenomenally talented, smart, creative and determined Black people like Perry Wallace,” said Elisheba Mrozik, president of the North Nashville Arts Coalition. “We are proud to be a part of yet another significant historic moment in North Nashville and this addition to its creative legacy.”
The event featured basketball clinics, a dunk contest, a celebrity game, food trucks and music.
“We are very appreciative of the hard work that went into the design and installation of this new outdoor basketball court at Watkins Park and know that the children in the area will really enjoy shooting hoops on the new court, as well as learning about the area’s valuable contribution to the Civil Rights Movement,” said Monique Horton Odom, director of Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation. “It’s creative, collaborative efforts like this one that help us maximize the amenities we offer to neighborhoods across the city.”