New MLK mural in East Hartford kicks off with community paint day
East Hartford residents are invited to participate in a community paint day Friday from 2:305:30 p.m. to work on a mural of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King.
The 25-by-25-foot “Dream Like a King” mural will be at 701 Main St. It was designed by Michael Rice, Joshua Morgan and Tiyah Thompson. They will supervise the paint day and finish the mural afterwards. It will be unveiled on Sept. 3 at 4:30 p.m.
Harry Amadasun Jr., vice president of East Hartford Black Caucus, said he pursued the mural project to fit in with the town’s focus on diversity and equity. “It’s a great way to celebrate our community, the Civil Rights movement in general and how it brought us where we are today,” he said.
Thompson said the community paint day “is really about the kids.
“It’s huge for students to know that they can become involved in their community . ... That doesn’t have to mean leading marches or coming to town hall,” she said.
Murals for racial justice: The
mural is part of an effort to paint 39 murals statewide of racial justice figures and iconic people of color.
The number 39 corresponds with the number of years MLK was alive. The initiative is spearheaded by CT Murals, Connecticut Center for Nonviolence and Sustainable CT.
Originally, the “Racial Equity Mural Tour” had a deadline to
create all murals by MLK Day 2022. Matt Conway, executive director of CT Murals, said the project now has no deadline but still has a goal of 39 murals.
“That was a very ambitious deadline. We want this to grow organically and have as much community engagement as possible,” Conway said. “We’re just trying to make these happen as communities reach out and ask.”
The community paint day also will feature side-walk chalk art, jump rope, music and food.
Where are the murals?: The finished racial justice murals are:
“Coretta” by Isaac Bloodworth and Kyle Kearson, at 350 Washington Ave. in New Haven.
“We Have a Dream” by ARCY (Ryan Christenson) at 370 Park Ave. in Bloomfield.
“Legends of Civil Rights” by Ben Keller, ARCY and Corey Pane at 110 Cedar St. in Manchester.
“A New Dawn” by Keller at 42 Water St. in Torrington.
“The Journey to Freedom and Excellence” by Pane at 20 S. Main St. in West Hartford.
Another mural is being painted in an as-yet undisclosed location in Southington by Emida Roller.
Roller also plans to start a mural this fall at Mansfield Community Center, 10 South Eagleville Road in Storrs. Pratt & Whitney and Goodwin University will sponsor a second mural in East Hartford, Conway said.
Conway said murals also are planned in Bristol, Putnam and Hamden.