A couple of weeks after the mural was created at UNC Asheville, the school received a threat to the campus over the Black Lives Matter mural on University Heights. The email was sent anonymously and suggested that the Black Lives Matter mural should be removed. Some students from UNC Asheville were interviewed indicating their thoughts on the conflict, indicating that the mural was “a work of art... It’s simple and does not understand how someone could be so mad about it [mural] that you would threaten other people with violence (ABC News). The student later said, “the mural is a work of art with a strong message, representing a movement that can stir controversy” (ABC News). The threat did cancel classes, but it did not cancel the support of the Black Lives Matter movement at UNC Asheville. It was strongly encouraged that the mural would not be painted over due to a threat. It solidified the university’s stance on issues regarding racial justice and equality. The support still thrives among students and staff at UNC Asheville. The mural is still present at the university.
In response to the threats made by an anonymous individual sent via email to administrators at UNC Asheville, the university continued to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Bill Haggard, commented that “we are not going to back up or in any way be intimated when it comes to our position on the importance of the messaging that Black Lives Matter” (The Blue Banner). Haggard strongly spoke for the university mentioning that part of the reaction to the threat was sadness as the community celebrated the mural and Black lives. The FBI eventually became involved in the investigation one week after the threat, as it was believed to be credible (ABC News). Regardless, individuals of the UNC Asheville community learned after the threat that there are people in the country who do not believe in freedom for all and will even threaten those who do not believe in freedom (The Blue Banner).
The significance of this mural comes from the students at UNC Asheville as it was student-led. The university acknowledged and applauded the students, faculty, and staff who brought their vision, creativity, and integrity to the Black Lives Matter project on their campus (UNCA). The university would also like to recognize the volunteers and local artists who spent their time and talent to create the mural (UNCA). This mural should be celebrated and the impact it has on the UNC Asheville community should not be overlooked due to their affirmation that Black lives matter.
Sources:
Black Lives Matter by UNC Asheville - Exposure. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://stories.unca.edu/black-lives-matterLinks to an external site.#!
Kracher, F. (n.d.). BLM leader disturbed but not deterred by email threat to UNCA. WLOS. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://wlos.com/news/local/blm-leader-disturbed-but-not-deterred-by-email-threat-to-uncaLinks to an external site.
UNC Asheville Response to threat about Black Lives Matter mural, Oct. 9-10, 2020 - news and events: UNC Asheville. News And Events | UNC Asheville. (2021, October 1). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.unca.edu/events-and-news/stories/unc-asheville-response-to-threat-about-black-lives-matter-mural-oct-2020/Links to an external site.
UNCA Strong: BLM Bomb Threat One Year Later. The Blue Banner. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://thebluebanner.net/12592/arts-features-2/unca-strong-blm-bomb-threat-one-year-later/Links to an external site.
Researched by Ulysses Perez PerezThe mural itself did not receive much preservation effort, and around November 2020 had began to fade, leaving little to no trace of it standing today. The location, Magoun Square, is amongst the most diverse areas in Somerville, and the intersection is one with heavy traffic. A decision to ensure that the mural is easily seen by the people of the city has also caused it to quickly fade away from public view, physically and figuratively, as there has been little to no effort to preserve the mural despite the speed at which it was losing intelligibility.
Luckily, the piece did not leave without a major impact on the communities of color. In early June, Mayor Joe Curtatone declared racism a public health emergency, and Just Us came together to ensure that the people's voices were not spoken on behalf of them, but rather by themselves. The group also advocated for support of businesses owned by people of color, and a civilian review committee.
Sources
Wonderland, Greg Cook, 09/28/2020 - ‘Black Lives Matter’ Street Mural Painted In Somerville – WONDERLAND (gregcookland.com)Links to an external site.
The mural has been met with a positive response from the community, with many taking to social media to express their appreciation for the artwork. It has been widely shared and has become a popular destination for those wishing to pay tribute to the mural, with many taking photos in front of it. The mural still stands representing black excellence, and it has not been vandalized but has been amended to include the names of people who lost their lives to police brutality or have etched their names in history through their achievements.
The mural was created as a way to celebrate Black excellence to serve as a reminder of the strength of the Black community and to evoke feelings of joy and pride. It features portraits of Black celebrities such as Halle Berry and LeBron James and the names of people who died due to police brutality. The mural includes the words “Tiger Nation” and the logos of the City of Cleveland Heights and community group Safer Heights, and still stands representing the black excellence. It has become a place to pay homage to the lives of those who have been lost, while also celebrating the accomplishments of those who continue to make a lasting impact.
Sources:
In conjunction with the university’s Black Student Alliance, they determined the school did need the COVID testing space, but at the same time, they wanted to speak out against racial injustice that has been an ongoing issue for many years in this country. The artists of this 114-foot-long mural consisted of 36 students at Eastern Mennonite University, whose initials are painted on the side. The mural was initially outlined in chalk during the week, but that same weekend was painted again using road paint to prevent fading, and the following Monday there was a dedication ceremony. This mural was sanctioned by the university. The Black Student Alliance and the university both acknowledge that racial injustice is something they do not support in any way. With the hope that their artwork will make a lasting impact, the university noted that this will be a permanent fixture at Eastern Mennonite.
Sources
Hood, John. “Black Lives Matter Mural Created at Eastern Mennonite University.” Https://Www.nbc29.Com, https://www.nbc29.com/2020/09/23/black-lives-matter-mural-created-eastern-mennonite-university/.
Jefferson, Lauren. “Black Student Alliance Hosts Dedication Ceremony for Black Lives Matter Mural.” EMU News, 30 Sept. 2020, https://emu.edu/now/news/2020/black-student-alliance-hosts-dedication-ceremony-for-black-lives-matter-mural/.
Researched by Taylor RauThis is not the only Black Lives Matter mural in Seattle, as other murals have popped up around the city following the months of protesting in 2020. A similar mural with the phrase “Black Lives Matter” in large letters is painted on the street in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. In this mural, each large letter was designed by a different artist of the Black community. This mural is also guaranteed to be maintained by the city for the next 5 years as the city has agreed to pay the artists to return to the mural once a year to touch up their letters.
Sources
Lewis Kamb. "How the Black Lives Matter Street Mural Came Together on Seattle's Capitol Hill." The Seattle times, Jun 12, 2020. Global News & ABI/Inform Professional, https://search.proquest.com/docview/2412015044.
Zhou, Amanda. "Seattle Black Lives Matter Mural Takes Message to the Street." The Seattle times, Sep 23, 2021. Global News & ABI/Inform Professional, https://search.proquest.com/docview/2575193968.
Researched by Katie Sadowski
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