Black Lives Matter Murals in New York City

When the Black Lives Matter movement revived itself in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, artists nationwide acted to give voice and images to the movement. One of the most iconic visual expressions sits in the nation’s capital: a two-block long mural spelling out the movement’s moniker and slogan—”Black Lives Matter”—in the same bright yellow paint used to demarcate road lines. Over the course of the summer in 2002, this artwork inspired similar installations across the country, most notably in New York City, which picked up the baton by creating eight similar murals throughout its five boroughs. Six of the murals adhere to the same parameters of the original in Washington, D.C., but two stand out as unique tributes. A specially commissioned mural based in Harlem, and another in Lower Manhattan, differentiate themselves by incorporating unique visuals sourced from African American artists, occupying historic ground, and relying upon community support in order to visually deliver a more nuanced declaration of what the Black Lives Matter movement stands for. The Mural in Harlem: Capturing the Spirit of the Community and Black Lives Matter The Harlem mural spans nearly two blocks along 125th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, right below the historic Hotel Theresa: an architectural landmark that once served as a nexus of African American culture. Standing at 21 feet tall, each letter contains artwork sourced from eight different African American artists. This structure allows the mural to capture both the movement’s overall message, while also reflecting more unique dimensions. The mural’s curator LeRone Wilson, for instance, created the artwork for two letters: “B” and “L”. Within the first letter, he painted two Egyptian deities: Ma’at, an archetypal figure representing Justice, and the bird deity Heru, sovereign in the skies, whose inclusion symbolizes the universe’s welcoming of spirits who have died of police brutality. The second letter continues that theme, by listing the names of 24 African American victims. The other fourteen letters were completed by the seven other artists, who imprinted two letters each with their own personal vision of the Black Lives Matter movement’s significance. The second mural in lower Manhattan follows many of those same general guidelines, while differentiating itself through aesthetic and practical considerations. Standing as the most obvious difference was the mural’s chosen location in Foley Square, next to the African Burial Ground. The mural’s curators chose this site to pay homage to the thousands of African Americans buried there in colonial times, while the location also nodded towards the nearby state and federal courthouses that play a heavy role in the dialogue on the treatment of African Americans by the justice system. This time, The Department of Cultural Affairs chose the mural’s artists, who took it upon themselves to create visual depictions of various moments from the Black Lives Matter movement. Artist Tijay Mohammed designed the word “BLACK” by incorporating West African symbols and fabric designs that referenced African American ancestry and the nearby burial grounds. Artist Sophia Dawson, who was responsible for the word “LIVES”, built her imagery from her experiences of meeting and working with mothers who lost their children to police brutality. The emphasis on this female narrative continues into the next word, designed by artist Patrice Payne, who painted the letter “M” with an African American woman standing among broken shackles, a sun bursting out from behind clouds, and the American flag. As is the case with the Harlem mural, the one in Foley Square has drawn nationwide attention, sparked dialogue, and fostered community engagement. The Process of Creating Community Artwork Creating both murals entailed the cooperation and involvement of various organizations and community members. The idea for the Harlem mural began within Harlem Park to Park, an organization that represents Harlem’s small business owners. Together, they brainstormed how to create a mural that represented the unique spirit of Harlem, while paying homage to the original inspiration and the movement as a whole. After locating contributing artists, they consulted with a variety of public and private organizations in order to structure and complete the project. The Department of Transportation provided paint recommendations, and the architectural firm Rockwell Group contributed its urban design skills to help create the stencils. The artists’ union United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 laid down the paint, providing a canvas for the artists to work upon, with help from the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem and Harlem Little League. The mural in Foley Square required the same attention to detail, although it worked with different organizations and artists in order to curate a message specific to its location. Meanwhile, the other six murals that went up in New York City relied heavily upon community support for completion. Rather than commissioning unique artwork for each letter, these murals followed the same template as that set forth by the original mural in Washington, D.C., relying upon the iconic bright yellow traffic paint to fill out letters that stand over 20 feet tall. And unlike the two murals in Harlem and Manhattan, these other six were painted almost completely by local residents and volunteers. The murals inspired similar ones along Route 1, including in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bridgeport, Connecticut; Raleigh, North Carolina; Elizabeth, Orange, and Newark in New Jersey; and Baltimore, Maryland. As for the New York City Murals, you can take in aerial footage of all of them, or accept the road’s invitation to witness them firsthand.