People of all ages and backgrounds, paintbrushes in hands, surrounded three colorful murals laid on the ground near the intersection of First Street and Second Avenue East on Monday. The main subjects of the paintings are George Floyd, an African American man who was killed by the police during an arrest in Minneapolis ; Breonna Taylor, a young African American woman fatally shot by the Louisville Metro Police Department in March; and a raised fist.
The community mural painting was one of several events planned in June to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the public lynchings of Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson and Isaac McGhie in downtown Duluth . Local artist Moira Villiard reached out to the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial board to arrange the community painting day.
"The goal of this is to provide space for people to use their voices in different ways," Villiard said. "I started with a rough idea of how things will be laid out, but then I opened it up to anyone to decide what will be represented and how. I don't give any rules. I don't tell them what they should and shouldn't write."
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Young Duluthians Cam'ron Magee and Latesha Houston searched for the right paintbrushes to add their names and the quote, "Freedom is ours." Daisy Quaker added a quote from novelist James Baldwin: "Nothing can be changed unless it is faced," in yellow paint.
"It's something that's really stood out to me as all of this was unfolding," Quaker said. "It's a quote that stood out to me because even like the video of what happened to Floyd and all the stories that are coming to the surface of the injustices going on are really difficult to sit with and read. But it’s important to read those stories and be aware of what’s going on because without that awareness you can’t really do anything.
After members of the community made their marks on the murals, Villiard and fellow artist Delphin Niyonkuru filled up left over space by adding in the names of victims of police brutality. Niyonkuru also added a fist grasping an American flag on the George Floyd painting.
"For me, this is a way to express myself," Niyonkuru said. "You can talk and speak all you want, but it doesn't always last. When you put something down in paint and make it visual, hundreds of people can pass by and see it and it can say so much more."
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Niyonkuru also said he was glad to see the variety of ages and backgrounds adding to the painting as "it shows solidarity."
"This is about systematic change and we need everyone on board for that," he said. "So to see many different people here is a good start."
The murals will be placed along the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial when completed.
