CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Those who walk by the former Anthony Overton Elementary School in Bronzeville will now find a massive new mural.
Chicago street artist Rahmaan Statik was commissioned to create the 20-foot-by-100-foot painting as part of a Juneteenth Mural Project through the group Absolute Equality.
“It's a depiction of real-life people from Chicago to show the Chicago spirit with Juneteenth,” he said.
The mural explores themes of liberation, unification and exploration by depicting iconic moments in African American history along with past and present Chicagoans.
“The mural starts off with a local musician by the name of David Boykin,” Statik said. “He's a professional jazz musician that teaches at Roosevelt University.”
Other highlights include Chicago-native Mae Jemison, who became the first African American woman to travel into space; a scene from the 1968 Summer Olympics; and the building’s namesake Anthony Overton.
“What makes him fitting for this project is that he's a Black entrepreneur from almost 100 years ago, who started one of the first Black banks in the city of Chicago,” Statik said.
Three pivotal characters in the mural are seen holding art tools. Statik told WBBM it shows modern forms of liberation, which have created what he called a new renaissance.
“It’s a symbol of the aftermath of being emancipated,” he said.
The painting was one of nine unveiled all across the country this week.
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