November 27, 2024

Iowa City’s Creekside Park renamed in honor of late Pulitzer Prize winner James Alan McPherson

Elbow Park #ElbowPark

Share This Story!

Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about

Iowa City’s Creekside Park renamed in honor of late Pulitzer Prize winner James Alan McPherson

McPherson studied in the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop and, in 1978, won the Pulitzer for “Elbow Room.” He died in 2016 at the age of 72.

Sent!

Posted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

Associated Press Published 6:01 a.m. CT March 19, 2021

An Iowa City park has been renamed for a late resident and the first Black winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

The Iowa City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved changing the name of Creekside Park to James Alan McPherson Park.

McPherson enrolled at the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop after graduating from Harvard Law School, and in 1978, won the Pulitzer for “Elbow Room,” a collection of short stories. He joined the Writers’ Workshop faculty in 1981. He died in 2016 at the age of 72.

James Alan McPherson holds a drawing of his daughter, Rachel, in his Iowa City home.

James Alan McPherson holds a drawing of his daughter, Rachel, in his Iowa City home.

 (Photo: Register file photo)

The park that now bears his name was recently renovated and features a new playground, shelter, basketball court and restroom.

The park renaming stemmed from the city’s efforts last summer to acknowledge the Black Lives Matter movement. The City Council received 15 emails supporting the proposal to rename the park for McPherson, Juli Seydell Johnson, parks and recreation director, told the Gazette of Cedar Rapids.

Read or Share this story: https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/2021/03/19/iowa-city-park-named-after-pulitzer-prize-winner-james-mcpherson/4754831001/

Share your feedback to help improve our site experience! More Stories

  • no caption Another 9 positive COVID-19 tests reported in Johnson County

    March 18, 2021, 12:22 p.m.

  • A COVID-19 particle is pictured in this image provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another 25 positive COVID-19 tests reported in Johnson County

    March 17, 2021, 11:15 a.m.

  • Bruce Teague, mayor of Iowa City, speaks during a council meeting that is being held on a video conferencing system due to the coronavirus pandemic, Tuesday, April 21, 2020, at the Emma J. Harvat Hall inside City Hall in Iowa City, Iowa. Councilors participated in the meeting in separate rooms at City Hall or from their homes. Iowa City’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission suspended

    March 17, 2021, 10:20 a.m.

  • Figure 1 shows the Hickory Trail Estates proposal as presented to Planning and Zoning in February. Figure 2 shows the changes made to the plan.

    FOR SUBSCRIBERS

    Revised development proposal would increase Hickory Hill Park by 5.5%

    March 17, 2021, 5:13 p.m.

  • FOR SUBSCRIBERS

    Iowa City schools’ history of discipline gaps

    March 17, 2021, 5:01 a.m.

  • Coronavirus COVID-19 Another 10 positive COVID-19 tests reported in Johnson County

    March 16, 2021, 11:10 a.m.

  • Leave a Reply