HARTFORD, Conn. — History is being created in Hartford. Black Lives Matter 860 is spearheading a community art project with the backing of the city.
George Floyd spent the last eight minutes of his life on asphalt.
It's in his memory and the memory of so many others why dozens of residents gathered on the asphalt of Trinity Street to literally have a brush with history.
"This is where we make true changes that are going to last for years to come," said Levy Kardulis who organized the road mural.
"If you look around us you would see people of all skin colors and that is what it should be," said artist Natalie Langlaise.
The message is clear.
"This would be that tapestry going into the state Capitol," said Kardulis. Black Lives Matter is painted on the road. You can call it the road to change. "My whole family is out here working today, even my mom," said Hartford artist Lashawn Robinson.
The mural sits in the shadow of the building where change can be made. The state Capitol.
"Trying to have an artistic approach to change through law and legislation," said Kardulis.
Each letter is assigned to a community artist. They are depicting watchful eyes, black fists and many other designs.
I’m also going to put John Lewis in one of my designs," said Robinson.
Langlaise added, "Seeing the other artists working. You get emotional because you are thinking of the struggle through all the years that we have been through and now just realizing that America as a whole is paying attention."
All of it has been sanctioned by the City of Hartford.
"We talked with our traffic division. They suggest we use traffic paint so it lasts a little bit longer. It should be here for a while. We plan to seal it once they are done," explained Janice Castle, the Director of Community Engagement for the City of Hartford.
Overlooking the vibrant road mural is Hartford’s Historic Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch.
It depicts scenes from the Civil War and the sculpture of a freed slave. The irony of History’s past overlooking the present-day strife for equality.
"A change is happening for us. And I want people to see the change," said Robinson.
They started painting on Thursday. They’ll finish up Saturday and they are planning a big reveal on Sunday.
This road will remain closed until September for the community to come down and take pictures.
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Additionally, Connecticut Murals, which is a project of RiseUP For the Arts Murals, hired 5 local artists to create a Black Lives Matter mural in north Hartford.
The artwork on the brick of Swift Factory on Love Lane was unveiled this week.
It captures significant figures who were and are driving forces in the civil rights movement, as well as the fight to end police brutality.