"Howard Drew," by Eric Okdeh

Eric Okdeh, a muralist based in Philadelphia, has been creating public art since 1998. After earning his BFA in painting from Tyler School of Art, Eric dedicated himself to socially engaged public art. His multimedia projects tackle challenging subjects like gambling, addiction, mass incarceration, and destigmatizing mental illness. Eric has completed over 150 public art commissions across the northeastern United States, as well as murals in Hawaii, Spain, Jordan, and Norway. His work has been featured in seven books on public art.

This mural celebrates the remarkable life of Springfield’s own Howard Drew. In 1912, Howard Drew was the first person given the title of "World's Fastest Human." He competed in the 1912 US Olympic Track Team. He served in WW1 and then pursued higher education at UCLA, graduating from law school. In 1920, he became a practicing attorney in Connecticut, one of only four black lawyers in the state at the time. Drew made history as Connecticut's first black judge and served on the local draft board during World War II. He met Booker T. Washington and was featured on the cover of the July 1915 edition of the NAACP's Crisis magazine. Drew consistently made headlines, setting numerous world records in athletics, excelling in various sports, and achieving remarkable success in his career and scholarship.

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This mural is located at 85 Harrison St.