Guardians of the First Amendment Memorial

The Guardians of the First Amendment Memorial was conceived as a response to the shooting on June 28, 2018 that took the lives of five journalists of the Capital Gazette newspaper.

Moody Graham was asked by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee to design a memorial to commemorate the lives of Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith, and Wendi Winters who were murdered in their office. A site in the center of Annapolis, Maryland, near the Market House and City Dock was suggested. The design narrative came into focus after a meeting with the Baltimore Media Group, the owners of the Capital Gazette: Journalists represent the community and work as guardians of the First Amendment, including freedom of the press.

Images by Allen Russ

Existing Conditions

The City of Annapolis understood the importance of the Memorial to commemorate the lives of the journalists and what they stood for. A prominent site on city-owned land near City Dock was offered. The site is easily accessible and visible to the citizens of Annapolis and visitors.

Concept

The Memorial consists of a grove of trees and columns which sit within a curved brick wall. Columns representing the journalists metaphorically guard the First Amendment. Bald cypress trees were selected for their seasonal variation, ability to withstand flooding, and rich texture.

The columns have a rough thermal finish at the base, transitioning to a honed finish at the top. There is one column for each of the journalists who were victims of the shooting. The columns are part of the grove. The journalists are guarding the First Amendment for the community.

Garden walls have been a part of the Annapolis landscape since the 18th century and up to the present. There are many different designs and heights. The original walls defined garden spaces. A wall at the Paca House (1760, National Historic Landmark) was used as a precedent for the cap of the curving brick memorial wall. The wall was designed with a curve to direct attention inward and provide a place of reflection.

Approach

Moody Graham worked with a team of Archaeologists to ensure no artifacts were damaged during excavation. A helical pile technique was implemented to mitigate the poor soil conditions and withstand flood risks due to climate change and rising sea levels along the Annapolis waterfront.

The material palette was kept simple: granite, brick, and gravel. Nuance in the design was achieved through incorporating multiple granite finishes, affecting the color and texture. The brick wall is a typology consistent in the landscape of historic Annapolis.

The site is susceptible to flooding. The plant palette includes Bald Cypress, and rain loving perennials, sustainable in wet conditions. Crushed stone paving around the columns allows drainage to flow through, and drainage at the perimeter of the memorial connects to an on-site bioretention garden.

TYPE

Being

LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR

Oldetowne Landscape Architects

AWARD

2022 Merit Award, American Society of Landscape Architects, Potomac Chapter 

TIME SPAN

2019-2021

LOCATION

Annapolis, MD

PROJECT COLLABORATORS 

Annapolis Department of Public Works, the Annapolis Historic Preservation Commission, the Annapolis Art in Public Places Commission, and the Maryland Historic Trust

PROJECT FUNDING

City of Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, the State of Maryland, and private donations.

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