Austin Parks and Recreation, the Austin Parks Foundation, and community members will gather on Saturday, December 6 at 12 p.m. for the unveiling of the L.D. Washington and Nathaniel Cannon Wall of Honor at Rosewood Park. The ceremony will take place inside the Britton, Durst, Howard and Spence Building, located at 1183 Chestnut Avenue. The event is free and open to the public.

The Wall of Honor is designed to celebrate individuals who played key roles in shaping youth sports and mentorship in East Austin. It highlights the contributions of leaders who established and sustained the East Austin Youth Foundation and the Greater East Austin Youth Association, organizations that provided opportunities for Black youth during and after segregation.

The wall is housed in the Britton, Durst, Howard and Spence Building, a historic center for youth sports. Renamed in 2011, the building honors four community leaders, including Lawrence M. Britton, Sr. and James Howard, who helped found the East Austin Youth Foundation. Their efforts created a safe and supportive environment for young athletes at a time when access to organized sports was limited.

James Howard later partnered with Nathaniel Cannon to co-found the Greater East Austin Youth Association. Cannon has served as treasurer since 1975 and has been a longtime organizer of the association’s annual Juneteenth celebration.

L.D. Washington, a respected coach and mentor, also played a significant role in the East Austin Youth Foundation. His influence extended beyond athletics, earning him recognition with the Al Edwards Juneteenth Un-Sung Hero Award in 2001 and induction into the Prairie View Interscholastic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2016.

The idea for the Wall of Honor originated with Kenneth D. Thompson, Sr., a former player and parent in the East Austin Youth Foundation. He collaborated with Lee Dawson, Jr., president of the Greater East Austin Youth Association, to bring the project forward. Funding was provided through the Austin Parks Foundation’s Austin City Limits Music Festival Grants Program.