Betances Mural of Villa Victoria

At this site, you will watch a video describing the details of the Betances Mural of Villa Victoria. Made in 1979 and located in Plaza Betances, which is at the center of the Villa Victoria housing project, the mural was the result of a movement to fight an urban renewal project that would have displaced the Puerto Rican residents of the South End neighborhood in the late 1960s. The mural created by artist Lilli Ann Rosenberg in collaboration with community members, including children, to honor Puerto Rican heritage and the Villa Victoria community. The central figure is Dr. Ramón E. Betances, who was a Puerto Rican activist and humanitarian fighting for Puerto Rican independence and the emancipation of enslaved people. What is the importance of this mural for the Puerto Rican community of Boston? How does it relate to the gentrification and displacement of Puerto Rican Bostonians? How does it symbolize liberation and freedom?

Next, you can read more below about the Betances Mural, including its history and importance.

Northeastern University report: https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/downloads/neu:m040q664f?datastream_id=content

Yale University blog post: http://campuspress-test.yale.edu/engl247f2018/betances-mural-in-boston-ma/

UMass Boston Mass Media (student newspaper) article: http://www.umassmedia.com/art_lifestyle/my-top-favorite-public-artworks-in-boston/article_c7f5300a-09a7-11ec-9734-b3f2febebe61.html