Downtown Nashville will receive a new attraction in the coming months. A mural in honor of the late Rep. John Lewis will be painted by local artists. The five-story mural will be erected on a building at the corner of 5th Ave. North and Commerce St. The mural will be unveiled this summer during the celebration of Rep. John Lewis Way (formerly 5th Ave. N.) on July 16.
A portion of the funds that will be used to create the mural has been donated by the Metro Council Minority Caucus.
“This mural will honor the contributions of Rep. John Lewis and will feature important moments during his time here, including time with prominent Nashville civil rights leaders Diane Nash; Rev. James Lawson; Kelly Miller Smith, Sr.; Rip Patton; and Kwame Lillard who fought alongside him for social justice and equality in the south,” said Councilwoman Joy Styles.
“It is fitting for the mural to be placed near the site where Rep. Lewis participated in student-led nonviolent sit-ins at Woolworth’s on 5th Ave., while he was a student at Fisk University and American Baptist College. Visitors to downtown Nashville will be able to see the mural and hopefully be inspired to learn more about the history of civil rights in our city.”
Artists Lakesha Moore, Herb Williams, Omari Booker and Joseph ‘DoughJoe’ Love III have been selected to create the mural. Each is an established artist within the Nashville art scene and brings a unique perspective to the work.
Sponsorships to support the mural are available and may be made through the Nashville Unites Fund at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Donations are tax deductible. For more information, visit <www.representativejohnlewismural.com> or call 615-717-4017.
