A Dallas neighborhood near Love Field is reeling after thieves made off with a massive bronze statue commemorating a landmark chapter in Black history, leaving behind nothing but a concrete base where the six-foot sculpture once stood.
The stolen statue depicted a golfer and was installed last Juneteenth in the Elm Thicket/Northpark neighborhood. It stood alongside a historical marker honoring Hilliard Memorial Golf Course, recognized as the first municipal golf course built for African Americans in the southern United States when it opened in 1950.
Dallas police received a theft report on September 30, though investigators believe the statue was taken overnight on September 24. The bronze piece weighed approximately 300 pounds, and no arrests have been made in connection with the case.
Jonathan Maples, president of the Elm Thicket/Northpark Neighborhood Association and a longtime area resident, said the loss cuts deep for those who have spent their lives in the community.
“This is very hurtful not only to myself but to my community and our senior citizens” Maples said. He added that he cannot understand the mindset of anyone who would target something carrying such historical weight.
Maples suspects the thieves may have been motivated by the value of the metal itself. “I don’t know what someone would want to do with this statue unless they’re some type of copper thief” he said.
With nearly four weeks passing and no suspects identified, Maples has taken an active role in the investigation. He went door to door this week urging neighbors to check their home security camera footage for any footage that might help police identify those responsible.
Neighbor Pranav Sheth described the theft as heartbreaking given the statue’s significance to the area’s history. The sentiment echoed throughout the community as residents grapple with the idea that a piece of their shared heritage may be gone permanently.
The Hilliard Memorial Golf Course represented a hard-won achievement during the era of racial segregation, and the statue was meant to ensure that history remained visible and honored for future generations. Its disappearance has sparked frustration and grief among residents who fought to see the monument installed.
Maples said he remains hopeful that whoever took the statue will have a change of heart. He is urging anyone with information about the theft to come forward and contact Dallas police to help return the sculpture to the neighborhood where it belongs.