The Beach to Bay Heritage Area will be holding a ceremony and ribbon cutting for the newest mural in downtown Salisbury. The mural, depicting Frederick Douglass and the Wicomico County Courthouse, is located at 513 West Main Street on a Perdue Farms building. The ceremony and celebration will be held on August 14th at 9am.
As part of a larger grant-funded project, the Beach to Bay Heritage Area has been focusing on African American Heritage here on the lower shore. Staff member, Andre Nieto Jaime researched various themes and created a survey for the community to engage in and become part of the process. The Frederick Douglass theme resonated with many.
On the evening of February 24th, 1880, Frederick Douglass gave a lecture based on his 1859 “Self-Made Men” speech. This was given at the newly built Wicomico County Courthouse. Tickets were sold for .50 cents each, with the proceeds to benefit the John Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church, today known as the Chipman Cultural Center. The money raised was used for the restoration of the church, which was originally built in 1838, and to add a second story.
Mural artist Brandon Bell and his team from We Are Limitless Studios created the design and produced the mural. “We met Brandon at the meetings of the Salisbury Arts Alliance during the public art master planning and he certainly has a great track record. His ability to capture the concept and create this design is really remarkable”, said Lisa Challenger, Executive Director of the Beach to Bay Heritage Area. “We are also extremely grateful to Perdue Farms for allowing us to use their building as a canvas for this beautiful piece of art”, Challenger continued.
Two more murals are currently in the works in Crisfield and Ocean City. For more information on the Beach to Bay Heritage Area visit www.beachesbayswaterways.org
