Drive around Indianapolis for a while, especially downtown, and you’ll probably start to notice something other than street signs and traffic. Murals are all over the place. Indianapolis currently has over 19 murals celebrating everything from basketball stars to pop culture icons to historical figures. Many of them honor people of color, particularly those with a connection to Indianapolis – such as the one depicting the booming jazz scene of the mid-1900s.
Some of Indy’s murals are not visible from the streets anymore. During the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, the Murals for Racial Justice and the Black Lives Matter Mural projects collectively sponsored the creation of over 20 murals memorializing the movement and the moment. Most were originally painted on plywood; neither they nor the one painted directly on the pavement of Indiana Avenue were able to be preserved in outdoor conditions. They have been digitally preserved instead. The Indianapolis Public Library hosts a digital gallery of the Murals for Racial Justice, as well as copies printed on banners which can be borrowed with a library card.
Whether you drive around Indianapolis or go online, take some time to check out Indy’s murals – and the rich and complex history they recall.
Interested in learning more about the Love One Another initiative? Visit the archives.
