5 Historic Murals by 5 RVA-Artists

The U.N.I.T.Y Street Project is a Richmond-based art collective
that beautifies our streets, inspire our youth, and create 
public masterpieces through our community networks.

U = Upholding
N = Networking
I = Inspiring
T= Togetherness
in celebration of..
Y= Yesterday


CURRENT:  MLK BRIDGE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT

Objective

To inspire students to develop professional skills by challenging community stakeholders to improve and diversify career opportunities for the next generation.


Goal

To have Martin Luther King Jr Middle School students and staff to design and construct a colorful and inspiring mural concept  that will beautify the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge.




Background Information


About Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge

The 2,100-foot, six-lane bridge that connects Leigh Street on the west side of Shockoe Valley with O and Mosby streets on the east side of the valley is named the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge. It opened in 1976 amid a flurry of urban planning projects and was funded with a combination of local, state and federal dollars.  

The MLK Memorial Bridge Bike Lane project added 1.3 miles of buffered bike lanes for cyclists who prefer to avoid biking up the steep and dangerous hills from the Shockoe Valley.




About Martin Luther King Jr Middle School

Martin Luther King Jr Middle School is an integral part of the community it serves and strives to maximize all aspects of adolescent growth inclusive of academic, social, emotional and physical development.  MLK Jr. Middle School functions as one of the institutions whose responsibility is the transmission of the cultural mores and academic skills that will produce independent, knowledgeable, and productive members of society.  




PAST PROJECT:  ARTHUR ASHE TUNNEL PROJECT



PAST PROJECT:  JACKSON WARD BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT




With the support of Venture Richmond, the team of 5 artists ( Keith M. Ramsey, Sir James L. Thornhill, Hamilton Glass, David Marion, Michon Pittman ) will work in conjunction with the perennial 2nd Street Festival of Historic Jackson Ward.

The artists created 5 masterfully-crafted and culturally meaningful murals that have profoundly impacted the Jackson Ward's 2nd & Clay St. corridor.