Edythe Boone facts for kids

Edythe (Edy) Boone (born 1938) is an African-American artist and activist. She has spent her life working as a muralist, counselor, and art teacher in communities that needed support in California.

She is the aunt of Eric Garner, an African-American man whose death led to important protests for civil rights and helped start the Black Lives Matter movement.

Edythe Boone's Art and Activism

Edythe Boone is famous for the many murals she has painted. She started by painting murals on each floor of a building in Harlem, New York. Her work grew over the years, leading to one of her most well-known projects: designing and painting the MaestraPeace mural on the Women's Building in San Francisco, California.

Edythe first discovered her love for art when she visited her grandmother, who was a seamstress. She was surrounded by colorful fabrics and textures. When she lived in Harlem, she saw many challenges in the community. This influenced her art, and she created "guerilla" murals to speak out about these issues. She believes that art is for everyone, not just professional artists. Her goal is to help people and communities feel stronger through art.

Boone is known for caring deeply about social issues. She has been inspired by many civil rights movements that fought for fairness and equality. Her street murals in the San Francisco Bay Area often focus on important community topics. These have included the effects of poverty, racial discrimination, and other social challenges.

Famous Artworks

Boone is perhaps most famous for being one of the artists behind the MaestraPeace mural on the Women's Building in San Francisco. This huge mural was created in 1994 by seven female artists, including Boone. The mural covers two walls and is five stories tall!

Some of the many images on it show the Aztec Goddess of the Moon Coyolxauhqui, Palestinian activist Hanan Ashrawi, poet Audre Lorde, painter Georgia O'Keeffe, Puerto Rican revolutionary Lolita Lebrón, and Guatemalan Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchú. The mural is a popular spot for visitors in the city's Mission District. It was refreshed in 2012, and Boone helped with the restoration. The building itself is special because it was the first community building owned and run entirely by women. The mural celebrates women throughout history and the struggles they have faced.

MaestraPeace is important not only for its size and the many famous women it shows, but also for its message of unity among different cultures. It connects African and Native cultures of the Americas. This focus on many cultures fits well with the Women's Building's purpose and its location in a diverse area. The artists who created it also came from many different backgrounds, showing how diverse people can work together.

Those We Love, We Remember is another mural painted by Boone in Balmy Alley in San Francisco. This mural honors loved ones who have passed away.

In the 1980s, Boone and a group of "guerrilla" muralists worked on Oakland Wall Speaks with people living in local housing projects. These murals showed the effects of community challenges on people.

Near Berkeley's People's Park, Boone helped create the mural Let a Thousand Parks Bloom. This mural refers to the peaceful protests that happened in the park in 1969.

She also oversaw the creation of a 100-foot mural in Berkeley, California, which was finished in 2018. This mural shows images of people, places, and events from the history of South Berkeley, from the time of the Ohlone people to today.

Documentary Film

"A New Color" is a documentary film directed by Marlene “Mo” Morris. Morris said the film focuses on Edythe Boone's "amazing career." She added that "Edy has a way of inspiring people and supporting many causes." The film first showed at the Mill Valley Film Festival on October 10, 2015.

Marlene Morris received a grant in 2011 for "A New Color," which helped her film half of the movie. In 2012, a Kickstarter campaign, started by Morris, raised more money for the film.

Film Festival Appearances