Black Lives Matter Street Matter, Spartanburg, SC

This mural can be found on the street near the Spartanburg City Hall on West Main Street in Spartanburg, South Carolina. This 240-foot-long mural depicts the phrase "BLACK LIVES MATTER”, with each letter designated to a different artist's creation. It is situated on the street facing the City Hall and the Spartanburg Police Department (Spartanburg Herald Journal, 2020). Sixteen total artists created this collective mural. The mural’s completion date was in 2020, each artist used their abilities to “shine some light on the inspiration behind their letter, and why being able to say Black Lives Matter is important for them, and for Spartanburg” (Chamber, 2022). The sixteen artists came together, and the piece was sanctioned with help from the City of Spartanburg and other key community organizations (Chamber, 2022).  

Each of the artists was not only given the creative space to articulate their letter in any way that they saw fit, but they were also allowed to express themselves in interviews and their comments were saved by the City of Spartanburg. Lucy Boland, who painted the letter “L” stated, “The love was thick, our community showed up, and the beautiful feeling of hope rang loud” (Chamber, 2022). Boland also explained that her design “came from a prayer. A Mother’s Prayer” (Chamber, 2022). Boland’s “L” has wings at the top. The wings were a way to express “the hope in tomorrow” as she stated (Chamber, 2022). This is just one example of an artist’s vision and reason for participation, along with their connection to the unjust killing of George Floyd. 

As of January 2022, the mural was still visible.  

Sources

Chamber, Spartanburg. “Behind the Meanings of Spartanburg's Black Lives Matter Mural.” Visit Spartanburg, 21 Jan. 2022, https://www.visitspartanburg.com/behind-the-meanings-of-spartanburgs-black-lives-matter-mural/.  

Spartanburg Herald Journal. “Drone Photos: Black Lives Matter Street Mural in Downtown Spartanburg.” GoUpstate, Spartanburg Herald Journal, 21 June 2020, https://www.goupstate.com/picture-gallery/news/2020/06/21/drone-photos-black-lives-matter-street-mural-in-downtown-spartanburg/112498042/.  

WSPA 7NEWS. “Spartanburg Police, City Council Respond to Protests.” WSPA 7NEWS, WSPA 7NEWS, 2 June 2020, https://www.wspa.com/news/spartanburg-police-city-council-respond-to-protests/.