Black Lives Matter

Donated By: Mayor Muriel Bowser
Artist(s): Anonymous
Year: 2020

Location: Black Lives Matter Plaza (800 and 900 blocks of 16th streets, NW)

The Story of the Black Lives Matter Mural

DC’s Black Lives Matter mural project came together in under 24-hours, kicking off before dawn on Friday, June 5.

It took less than eight hours for the eight local artists to make the mathematical calculations to ensure the precision of the wording, complete the chalk lining, outline and paint all 16 letters and the DC stars and bars. At 40-feet high and the length of three and a half football fields, DC’s Black Lives Matter mural can literally be seen from space.

DPW crews and other DC government employees helped fill in the letters and, as the sun began to rise, DC residents and demonstrators who happened along joined in. After the mural was complete, Mayor Muriel Bowser, with the assistance of the District Department of Transportation, immediately changed the signage on the street, officially renaming it “Black Lives Matter Plaza”. The mural “heard around the world” made international headlines and was almost immediately replicated in cities across the country. To date, more than 50 municipalities around the world have painted similar murals.
Photos shown here include images from the original painting as well as touch-up work performed in later weeks.