August 9th
On Sunday August 9, protestors gathered in North Philadelphia at The Freedom School mural at 31st and Girard honoring Malcolm X, Ella Baker, Martin Luther King Jr., and Fredrick Douglas. The muralists Gerald Brown, Issac Scott, and Roberto Lugo, chose this starting point as a place to remember the history of resistance and the power of neighborhood supported murals.
After marching and chanting, a crowd arrived at the Stay Golden mural at 33rd and Diamond. The mural shows a Black fist rising over the Philadelphia skyline with the gold lettering stating “Stay Golden” . This was done with local community support. The Stay Golden mural was created as a counter to the “End Racism Now” street mural which was created without community support in front of the 26th PPD precinct. After the mural dedication, community leaders discussed work to invest in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood, struggles for community control, and the importance of art in the reflection of a community. BLM Philly spoke about our work and demands of the Black Philly Radical Collective.
