Encyclopedia of Indianapolis displays Murals for Racial Justice on new exhibit module

The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, a free-access, web-based encyclopedia that tells the stories of the people, organizations, places, and events that define Indianapolis, is sharing Murals for Racial Justice on the Encyclopedia’s newly launched exhibit module.

The Murals for Racial Justice project was a response to protests that erupted in downtown Indianapolis and worldwide after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. Indy Arts Council, PATTERN, and St’ArtUp 317 Incubator organized the project with financial support from Glick Philanthropies, commissioning local Black artists to create murals on storefronts that had been boarded up downtown.

“We believe that the murals helped people see the world differently, and provided many opportunities for structural change which is still going on,” said Julia Muney Moore, director of public art with Indy Arts Council. “This project allowed the artists involved to share in their frustrations, grief, and hope, and the project helped create a new space for Black artists to grow and be seen in Indianapolis.”

Through the newly launched exhibit module, the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis provides access to a portion of these murals in a virtual exhibition, using high-quality photos to document the historic significance of the project. In addition to images of the murals, the exhibition includes photos that identify where the original murals were located downtown, photos of the artists, and artist statements.

“The Murals for Racial Justice Initiative was a profound moment of community expression that centered the voice of hope,” said Murals for Racial Justice Project Manager Danicia Malone. “Hope is the foundation of liberation and a steadfast resistance to injustice. The initiative aided and abetted the public's clarion call for change implicating our commons as the sites of influence. All love and gratitude to the artists who had the courage to imbue a sense of care and compassion into the city during such a tumultuous time, reminding us of our collective humanity.”

The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis is a partnership among The Indianapolis Public Library, the Polis Center, and numerous cultural and heritage organizations. The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis will add exhibitions to the site, working with other artists and cultural and historical organizations to capture their stories and to highlight their significance to the Indianapolis community. The Indianapolis Public Library also offers 3 foot by 5 foot vinyl banners of the murals to the public, which can be checked out with a Library card.

The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis has been made possible by generous donations from a variety of funders through The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation. Major funding for the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis was provided by Lilly Endowment Inc., Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation, R.B. Annis Educational Foundation, The Indianapolis Foundation Library Fund, Nicholas H. Noyes, Jr. Memorial Foundation, M. Jacqueline Nytes, an anonymous donor, and Friends of the Library.

Visit indyencyclopedia.org to view the exhibit. To make a donation to the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, visit indyplfoundation.org.