The 2006 “Legacy” mural by Walé Oyéjidé at the Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library. | BRIAN NELSON / THE TEMPLE NEWS
When her children were younger, Holly Sharpe and her family would visit murals to feel their texture and enjoy the art. On Saturday, Sharpe got to experience her first mural tour with her son, Warren, on the Black History Month Civic Heroes Trolley Tour.
Attendees view Athena Scott and Quinta Brunson’s “Bloom Features,” at the Andrew Hamilton School. | BRIAN NELSON / THE TEMPLE NEWS
“When I saw this one for Black History Month, it was like, ‘Yes we have to do it,’” said Sharpe, a nurse at Penn Medicine.
The tour began in West Philadelphia and was led by volunteer tour guide Ellen Baxter. There, she guided attendees around the neighborhoods to view murals that celebrate Black history.
The murals ranged from dedications to Black heroes from Philadelphia to statement pieces showcasing the culture of Africa and Black Americans. The murals are a homage to each neighborhood and a reminder of how proud the artists are of their place of origin.
The “Philly Votes: Legacy in Bloom” mural by Tai Corriente Baucom, located on Walnut Street. | LILLIAN PRIETO / THE TEMPLE NEWS
Attendees were able to get a firsthand look at the mural “Blooming Features,” a mural comparing schools to a garden. The mural features of paintings of students, staff and sunflowers. The mural was created by Athena Scott, with the help of alumna Quinta Brunson, and is located at the Andrew Hamilton School, where Brunson attended.
The murals bring residents together to celebrate their culture and civic leaders who have helped the Black American community. Though a vibrant touch to a neighborhood, many murals are in jeopardy of being removed due to development.
Tour guide Ellen Baxter gives a speech about the upcoming murals. | LILLIAN PRIETO / THE TEMPLE NEWS
“Neighborhoods want a mural,” Baxter said while giving the tour.
“Tuskegee Airmen: They Met the Challenge” by Marcus Akinlana, “Legacy” by Wale Oyejide and “Declaration” by Reginald Dwayne Betts and Titus Kaphar, were the tour group’s favorites. The tour also included murals of Black leaders not from the city such as Martin Luther King Jr and Aloysius Leon Higginbotham.
“Declaration” by Reginald Dwayne Betts and Titus Kaphar, located on Carlisle Street. | LILLIAN PRIETO / THE TEMPLE NEWS
Alongside the murals, the tour group got to see signs from a Mural Arts project, “Afromation Avenue.” The project includes positive affirmation street signs placed in predominantly black communities, including many in West Philadelphia and Germantown.
An attendee takes a photo of a Martin Luther King mural located on the intersection of 40th St, Lancaster Ave, and Haverford Ave. | LILLIAN PRIETO / THE TEMPLE NEWS
Philadelphia currently has more than 4,000 murals, each telling their own story, which Mural Arts provides walking or trolley tours for people to explore. Though the tour runs only during Black History Month, it is still one of Mural Arts’ most popular tours.
Attendees sight-see as the trolly tours West Philadelphia. | BRIAN NELSON / THE TEMPLE NEWS
“It’s definitely important to celebrate Black History Month,” said Camille O’Connor, the manager of tours and group sales at Mural Arts. “We have lots of murals that fit the theme greatly because of such a rich history in Philadelphia. I think it’d be a disservice to not have a route like this.”