Copyright National Register of Historic Places.
Introduction
Los Angeles, Richmond, Chicago; more and more cities are celebrating the mural culture that local artists have been championing for generations. “Mural painting must help in [a person’s] struggle to become a human being, and for that purpose, it must live wherever it can,” Diego Rivera, one of the most well-known Mexican muralists, explained in 1934.[1]
In many Latino neighborhoods, murals are a way to claim space and create a dialogue about identity and belonging. Murals often reflect the work of the community, coordinated from planning to execution, especially in their placement in spaces claimed by the community. They are visible symbols of a group’s presence. Murals have deep historical roots in Latin America and elsewhere. Contemporary murals often express ethnic, religious, or racial pride, and many have social justice messages. For Latino neighborhoods, this may take the form of Indigenous or pre-colonial motifs, Catholic symbols, or heroic portraits of Historical Latino figures.
California cities like Los Angeles and San Diego have some good examples of Latino murals. These murals include The Great Wall of Los Angeles, where artist Judith Baca worked with community members to tell the story of California as Latino and Indigenous history over half a mile of mural. In San Diego, community members reclaimed urban space from highway development to create Chicano Park, a gathering space for the community with 72 murals depicting the Chicano Movement, actions done by Latino activists for equal rights and community empowerment in the 20th century.
African American, Native American and Indigenous peoples, and LGB communities also create murals to share their identity and history. While murals all share the large format and public presence, they depict a variety of artistic styles and cultures. When we look at these murals, we can see how communities celebrate their accomplishments, memorialize their pasts and advocate for the future.