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The former law office of Judge Lawson E. Thomas, in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. The Overtown Our Family Tree mural sits on the side of the building.<\/p>\n
AL DIAZ<\/p>\n
adiaz@miamiherald.com<\/p>\n
As Overtown celebrates 130 years, travelers will get a slice of the storied Black neighborhood\u2019s history as they arrive at Miami International Airport.<\/p>\n
The traveling exhibit, \u201cTelling Overtown Stories, Saying Their Names,\u201d will be on display until Oct. 13 near Door 11 of the Concourse E\u2019s arrivals level. It features three large-scale interactive murals that reflect Overtown\u2019s deep cultural roots and enduring ties to the African diaspora.<\/p>\n
Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora curated the mobile interactive mural exhibit, which evolved from the existing murals seen in Overtown that highlight the neighborhood\u2019s history, and include a QR code for visitors to scan and learn about the stories behind them.<\/p>\n
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Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora\u2019s exhibit Telling Overtown Stories, Saying Their Names, will be at the Miami International Airport until Oct.13. This mural, \u201cOvertown Our Family Tree,\u201d also is on the building that served as the former law offices of Miami\u2019s first Black judge Lawson Thomas. Courtesy of Harris Public Relations Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora\u2019s exhibit Telling Overtown Stories, Saying Their Names, will be at the Miami International Airport until October 13. The exhibit highlights Overtown\u2019s 130-year history through a traveling mural exhibit. This mural, Overtown Our Family Tree, also sits on the building that served as the former law offices of Miami\u2019s first Black judge Lawson Thomas. <\/p>\n
Miami MoCAAD co-founder Marilyn Holifield said the exhibit highlights Overtown\u2019s resilience and creativity rather than the stories of displacement that are often told about the area.<\/p>\n
\u201cOvertown is often talked about in terms of what was taken away, what was destroyed. This mural exhibition will simply recenter to that story, to what has endured and what is the exciting present,\u201d Holifield said.<\/p>\n
Three murals in the Miami airport exhibit<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what\u2019s on display:<\/p>\n
\u201dOvertown Our Family Tree,\u201d painted by artist Anthony Renelle Reed II, depicts several generations and features a young woman with a raised fist, indicating the resiliency and pathway to a better Miami. The mural also can be found on the building that served as the former law offices of Miami\u2019s first Black judge Lawson Thomas<\/p>\n
\u201cInternational Longshoreman Local 1416,\u201d by artist Reginald O\u2019Neal, represents contributions to Miami\u2019s culture and economic development. Holifield said listeners can also scan the QR code and hear stories from local historians such as Marvin Dunn, whose father was a longshoreman.<\/p>\n
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This mural features International Longshoreman Local 1416, key in helping Black residents in Miami become a part of the middle class. Courtesy of Harris Public Relations <\/p>\n
\u201cPart of what Dr. Dunn said in his oral history was that the longshoremen union rescued his family because it gave a stable, steady source of income at a higher level,\u201d Holifield said, adding adult children of other longshoremen said it was essential in helping Black people reach middle class.<\/p>\n
\u201cOvertown Pitch Game Changers,\u201d a mural done by painter Stefan Smith, depicts former soccer player Crystal Dunn and French footballer Kylian Mbapp\u00e9. Holifield said an accompanying statement from local historian Dorothy Jenkins Fields is also included in the airport exhibit and centers Overtown\u2019s history alongside the country\u2019s 250th anniversary.<\/p>\n
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This mural, \u201cOvertown Pitch Game Changers,\u201d depicts former soccer player Crystal Dunn and French footballer Kylian Mbapp\u00e9. Courtesy of Harris Public Relations Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora\u2019s exhibit Telling Overtown Stories, Saying Their Names, will be at the Miami International Airport until October 13. The exhibit highlights Overtown\u2019s 130-year history through a traveling mural exhibit. This mural, Overtown Pitch Game Changers, depicts former soccer player Crystal Dunn and French footballer Kylian Mbapp\u00e9. <\/p>\n
Holifield said showcasing Overtown\u2019s history at the airport allows visitors to see the neighborhood beyond Miami\u2019s footprint.<\/p>\n
\u201cA key goal is expanding public understanding from a historic neighborhood to a living, vibrant cultural force.\u201d<\/p>\n
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