The City of Piedmont has released the preliminary conceptual design for a memorial to Sidney & Irene Dearing, a public artwork honoring the city's first black homeowners and acknowledging a painful chapter in Piedmont's history.
Renowned artist and landscape architect Walter Hood of Oakland-based Hood Design Studio developed the design, titled the “Dearing Portal,” based on discussions with members of the Dearing family and a technical advisory committee from the City of Piedmont. The memorial is to be located in Triangle Park, near the home where Sidney and Irene Dearing once lived.
“This memorial is not just about history – it’s a statement about who Piedmont is today and the future we want to build,” said Piedmont Mayor Betsy Smegal Andersen. “We are honored to be working with Walter Hood to bring this vision to life.”
A project grounded in history and community
After purchasing their home in Piedmont in 1924, Sidney and Irene Dearing were subjected to a sustained campaign of harassment, threats, and violence. They were ultimately forced to sell their home. Their story remained largely forgotten by most Piedmonters for generations.
In 2020, the City Council adopted a resolution committing to critically examine Piedmont’s history as one part of a broader body of work to become a more inclusive and equitable community. In 2022, the Council formally initiated the memorial project as part of that effort.
A vision by Walter Hood
The preliminary design concept, known as the Dearing Portal, is a sculptural structure that uses elements of a home – a doorway, a window, and a mailbox – to evoke what was lost. Inside the portal, interpretive elements share the Dearings’ story and invite reflection on broader themes of racial exclusion and resilience.
Hood, a MacArthur Fellow and chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning at UC Berkeley, is internationally recognized for crafting powerful public spaces that fuse memory, place, and cultural identity.
Community Support and Next Steps
The Piedmont Beautification Foundation (PBF) has named the Dearing Memorial as the centerpiece of its Spring 2025 fundraising campaign, inviting residents and supporters to contribute to the memorial. Donations can be made at piedmontbeautificationfoundation.org/donate.
Installation is anticipated to be completed in 2026, following final design and fabrication.
Community members can view the preliminary conceptual design, learn more about the project, and add their name to a growing list of supporters at piedmont.ca.gov/Dearing.