Wednesday’s dedication of the Brown v. Board of Education mural featured empathetic speeches, heartfelt congratulations and a few tears.
About 700 people attended the dedication, celebrating the collaborative artwork on the south-facing wall of Hill and Co.’s building at 1424 S.E. Monroe St., near the Brown v. Board of Education historic site.
“This wall is the voices of our youth, our community, our collective humanity that has been brought together through art,” said Sarah Fizell, executive director of ArtsConnect and a founder of the mural project. Fizell said many of the volunteers were from Topeka, but signatures also came from 34 other states, nine countries and the District of Columbia.
Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla spoke about the human condition, one of her favorite Bible passages and Topeka’s rich history of unity.
“Topeka has been a city of opportunity,” De La Isla said. “The city of Topeka has always been a city of empowerment.”
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)