Reimagining Who We Choose to Remember

Who is your favorite Washington? That question is at the heart of Other Washingtons, a new public artwork by artist Amanda Williams. Launching with a digital campaign and debuting in full in 2026 as part of the Chicago Monuments Project, the work reconsiders the power of names, the complexity of legacy, and the people and stories we choose to memorialize.

Span partnered with Williams to design the project identity, drawing inspiration from the typography of the first edition of Booker T. Washington’s Up From Slavery (1901). The brand system incorporates bold typographic gestures with abstracted crops of portraits—highlighting African American figures who share the name Washington, yet whose stories often go untold.

A simple digital platform at OtherWashingtons.com, which Span designed and programmed, invites audiences to share their own “favorite Washington,” building a collective conversation around legacy and memory. Early activations, including the 2025 Bud Billiken Parade, have introduced the project to the public through interactive graphics and street-level engagement.

Supported by the Mellon Foundation and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), Other Washingtons is a collaborative reimagining of commemoration—anchored in design, storytelling, and community participation.