Organizers and volunteers painted Chicago’s first “Black Lives Matter” street mural over the weekend on Jeffery Boulevard.
Hundreds of Chicagoans got together on Saturday in South Shore to paint the first “Black Lives Matter” street mural in the City of Chicago on Jeffery Boulevard between 70th and 71st.
The creation of the Chicago-style mural was headed by artist Quentin Crockett, who oversaw around 250 volunteers paint the street using over 10 gallons of paint.
It was organized by William Calloway — a former candidate for Alderman of the 5th ward and Chicago community organizer, in partnership with Chicago community group, South Shore Works.
“South Shore is rich in culture and art,” said Calloway. “It’s one of the best neighborhoods in the City of Chicago. Jeffery Boulevard has thousands of commuters a day, so we thought what better place than to put the first Black Lives Matter mural for the City of Chicago? Right here in South Shore.”
While the mural is a first for Chicago, many “Black Lives Matter” murals have gone up over streets across America, including New York, Los Angeles, and — most notably — Washington D.C.
“Jeffery Boulevard is the main artery in South Shore. We want the community to know that they matter to us,” Calloway told Chicago Sun Times.
“It mattered to us to put it here instead of Stony [Island Avenue] or in front of Trump Tower downtown or a police station. We want to uplift our community. There’s healing in art, and I wanted to bring that healing to my community.”
The project in Chicago began at 5 in the morning on Saturday and took several hours to complete.
“We’ve seen people come together and unite around the concept of Black Lives Matter. In some ways, it was therapeutic for so many of us to be able to gather with our family, friends, and neighbors to paint. For some, it was the first social gathering they’ve done since the pandemic.”
See also: Artists Paint Positive Messages Along Boarded Up Shops In Chicago
[Featured image @Brooks Media via screen shot]