Black Lives Matter street mural (Portland, Oregon) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black Lives Matter street mural |
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![]() The "Black Lives Matter" mural in St. Johns (July 23, 2020)
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Location | Portland, Oregon, United States |
45°35′11.2″N 122°45′18.9″W / 45.586444°N 122.755250°W |
On June 18, 2020, artist Nick Lloyd painted a large mural in Portland, Oregon. He wrote the words "Black Lives Matter" in bright yellow letters. This artwork is on North Edison Street in the St. Johns neighborhood.
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The Black Lives Matter Mural in Portland
This mural was inspired by a similar one in Washington, D.C. called Black Lives Matter Plaza. The Portland mural is very long, stretching about 336 feet (102 meters). That's longer than a football field!
Inside the big yellow letters, there are smaller texts. These texts share important historical facts. They tell about how minority groups were treated in Portland over time.
A Look at History Within the Mural
The mural uses its letters to teach history. For example, inside the letter "B", you can read about early history. It mentions the Cowlitz people who lived nearby. It also talks about York, an enslaved man who visited in 1802. He was part of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The text also notes that in 1865, Oregon had a special tax. This tax was only for non-white residents. If people could not pay, they were forced to work for the state.
The letter "A" shares more history from 1923. It explains that the St. Johns neighborhood was all white at that time. It also mentions that a group with racist beliefs, the Ku Klux Klan, had many members there. The mural also points out that Oregon laws stopped Japanese and Chinese immigrants from owning land.
One of the "T" letters talks about a change in the Constitution of Oregon. In 2001, voters removed an old rule that banned Black residents from the state. Another part of the mural mentions that in 1988, banks made very few home loans in certain areas of Portland. This shows how some communities faced unfair treatment.
The Artist's Message
Nick Lloyd painted the mural without asking for official permission first. However, city officials decided not to remove it. Lloyd explained his artwork's meaning. He said that everyone is part of history. He believes that our actions today become part of a bigger story. The mural connects local events to the ground it's painted on. This highlights how each person's choices matter.
The mural was unfortunately damaged in July 2020.