Mayor Ras J. Baraka and the Newark Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs have officially unveiled a breathtaking new mural titled “The Elders Spoke and We Bloomed.” Located at Catholic Charities (321 Central Avenue), this nearly 250-foot site-specific installation is the work of acclaimed Arts High School alumna and mixed-media artist Danielle Scott.
The mural serves as a vibrant “love letter” to the city, celebrating the resilience, leadership, and historical legacy of Black men in Newark. Commissioned by Director fayemi shakur and coordinated by Rebecca Pauline Jampol of Project for Empty Space, the project merges historical archives with contemporary portraiture.
“The spirit of Newarkers is so palpable you forget you are looking at a wall,” said Mayor Baraka. “I’m grateful to the artist, photographers, and everyone involved for illustrating so vividly that in Newark, all possibilities can take root and blossom.”
A Fusion of History, Community, and Art…