In Wake Of George Floyd, 'Black Humanity Now!' Created In Racine

RACINE, WI — A one-block stretch of Wisconsin Avenue just south of Downtown Racine now bears the mark of one of the most unique social justice messages in the U.S.

On Sunday, a team of 20-30 volunteers donned reflective vests and picked up rollers to apply the final layers of yellow latex traffic paint to complete the new message, written in 15-foot-tall block lettering: "Black Humanity Now!"

The project was nurtured from idea to reality by Scott Terry, a Racine native and owner of the Mahogany Gallery — a gallery that highlights the culture, experience and art of Black people in America.

For Terry, the phrase "Black Humanity Now!" is a matter of the heart.

"This has been a tremendous effort over the past couple months. It started from the awakening of America with the death of George Floyd. That brought this movement all across the U.S. with murals and policies to really reflect the conditions of Black people in America. This is just an addition to that," Terry told Patch. "Racine is the second-worst city for Black people in America, and this is a constant reminder that we still have work to do when it comes to recognizing that Black people are human, and the humanity of black people here in Racine."

The most urgent issues facing Black Americans are present and deeply-ingrained in Racine: disproportionate arrest and incarceration rates, racial profiling, gerrymandering that cuts through Black voting districts, high unemployment and low educational attainment among Black students.

"You're not going to see another 'Black Humanity Now!' mural anywhere in the United States," Terry told Patch. "This is the only one here in the country. These civil rights issues, they're about human rights. That's really what it boils down here. We wanted to put the word 'Human' in here because it's about human rights."

Terry, and a dedicated team of volunteers raised more than $800 in donations to buy the paint, supplies, masks and insurance to make the project happen. No taxpayer dollars were used during the course of the project, organizers said. The Black Humanity Now project wound its way through the city approval process, which was ultimately approved by the City Council.

It is now located symbolically between the Racine County Jail and the Racine County Courthouse — two sites where advocates are calling for the most social justice reform.

In a Facebook post authored by Terry, he gave credit to everyone who helped out on the project, while also imploring his fellow community members with three words: "let's keep working!"

"I did what I said I was going to do, with an army of soldiers alongside every step of the way," Terry wrote. "Now the real work continues for Black Humanity Now in the classrooms, boardrooms, council chambers, our homes, work places, court rooms, in the private sector, public sector, and everywhere in between."