The process has begun of creating a massive mural on a wall at Kendall Perkins Park that will celebrate unity and the Black community at local and worldwide levels.
Local artist Aaron Kizer began painting the first panel of the 625-foot wall on Friday.
Northwest Neighborhood Alliance Chairperson Rafe Buchner said the mural — which is set to be fully completed by at least 2025 — will be an international, national and local timeline pertaining to African-American history.
“As you can see, we have ancient Africa represented with Egypt, and it’s going to display African-Americas coming to America,” he said. “The entire mural is going to represent ancient Africa and early, early, early America. This is Phase 1 right here.”
Buchner said the community has wanted something like this for a while, and they are happy to create a symbol of unity.
“Our hope is that this is going to bring folks together instead of separate them,” he said. “We tried to do this in 2015 and it never got any traction. Now, it’s happening.”
A contract was put together by members of the Alliance that will see the project continue until 2025, but Buchner said the alliance is hoping it doesn’t take that long.
So far, funding for the mural has come in the form of grants. Some have been approved, while others are still pending. The Northwest Neighborhood Alliance will also hold a variety of fundraisers that will go toward the mural’s completion, Buchner said.
“I go to L.A. a lot and, out there, they have a wall that’s called ‘Our Mighty Contribution,’” Buchner said. “They were the inspiration for me to get something like that done here. Rocking the Nation Crew out of Los Angeles painted that mural. I messaged them and complimented them on theirs, said I was interested in doing something similar here. They messaged me back and said, ‘Cool, go for it, and good luck.’”
Buchner said this mural will be the first of its kind in the region. The Alliance’s hope, he said, is that the City of Owensboro will promote and support the mural enough to make it a staple for out-of-town visitors and residents of Daviess County alike.
“To have that history on this wall is going to be special,” he said. “We’re hoping it’ll get folks down here, that it’ll open up the neighborhood to some people that might not otherwise come down here.”
The mural’s progress and completion will be totally reliant on funding. Those wishing to donate can contact Adrienne Carrico at 270-687-8561 or [email protected].
Anyone interested in helping paint the mural as it progresses can email [email protected]. Kizer said each step of the process, including those who are chosen to paint, will be decided by the Alliance and others who have been part of the project.
