Local Artists Finish Harlem Black Lives Matter Mural

HARLEM, NY — A finished Black Lives Matter mural debuted in Harlem on Wednesday about one week after painting began, the nonprofit that organized the effort announced.

Local artists, Harlem community groups and city leaders joined the effort to paint the words Black Lives Matter on both sides of Adam Clayton Powell Jr. between 125th and 127th streets. The mural was unveiled Wednesday morning, just days after it was damaged by tire marks when a car drove over the painting while it was still being worked on.

Volunteers from neighborhood organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem, Harlem Pride, Harlem Grown, Uptown Grand Central and Got to Stop will help create the public artwork. Harlem Park to Park is funding the mural's creation in partnership with Got to Stop Social Impact Agency. Despite Mayor Bill de Blasio's presence at the mural kickoff, the artwork is not receiving public funds.

"It is important to the Harlem community that we understand this project is a love letter to Harlem from Harlem. We as a nonprofit organization in Harlem felt strongly that if a Black Lives Matter mural was coming to Manhattan, it should be in Harlem," Harlem Park to Park Executive Director, Nikoa Evans-Hendricks, said in a statement.

The mural's design mirrors others around the country, based on a mural painted in Washington, D.C. leading up to the White House at Mayor Muriel Bowser's direction. The public art installation will stretch on both sides of Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard between 125th and 127th streets. Local artists LeRone Wilson, Jason Wallace, Omo Misha, Guy Stanley Philoche, LesNY Felix, Thomas Heath, Dianne Smith and Joyous Pierce also contributed original designs to the mural.