"Tribute to Black Women," Nelson Stevens, 1974 Recreated by the Community Mural Institue, 2022

This mural was originally painted in 1974 by the late Springfield resident Nelson Stevens and was recreated by the Community Mural Institute (CMI), with support from a NEFA Public Art for Spatial Justice grant.

In 2022, during 2 community paint parties and hundreds of studio hours, the CMI artists and over 300 Springfield residents carefully laid down the 95 colors of paint contained in this mural and the Wall of Black Music. Many of the people who helped paint had known Mr. Stevens, and their work was done as a labor of love, an opportunity to grieve, and a commitment to honor this incredible man by ensuring his work would be permanently returned to the community.

In 1975, Mr. Stevens said “Recognizing that the least we can do is to leave our communities more beautiful than we found them, we have decided to do more… Some call them murals, others large paintings; but all know them as force fields activated in the service of our liberation.”

This mural was partially using the GoodSpace Method of community-engaged mural making. Learn more about GoodSpace Murals here.

IG: @community.mural.institute

This mural is located at 790 State St, Catherine st side.