Murals in Miami's Overtown, defaced by vandals, restored just in time for Juneteenth
On this Juneteenth, residents in Miami's Overtown are remembering the past while celebrating its future.
They are grateful two murals defaced a few weeks ago are now restored. The swastikas and racist language are gone and on Thursday, people have come from all over to celebrate Overtown, the community and its art.
Alex Douyon is the artist who restored the murals.
"We felt the need to take this opportunity to come together as a community once again to help restore the history that the community is very proud of it," he said.
Douyon gathered at the murals along with people from around Overtown to celebrate.
"The progress is not just within the community but how so many individuals across Miami-Dade, across the country, across the world have come in to help revitalize and bring this back," said Anthony Robinson, the executive director of the Children and Youth Coalition.
At 12 years old, Tyrell Morris came out with his mom. He said he appreciates opportunities to learn about Black history and seeing the mural of "Jackie Robinson, famous baseball player."
"It's very nice, it's like a nice addition to the neighborhood," Morris added. "Makes it look very pretty."
The murals were blessed and the late sports heroes honored.
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery. June 19 is the day when those enslaved in Texas discovered they were free, two years after emancipation happened.
For Nicole Crooks, an Overtown community organizer, seeing murals of ancestors defaced is a reminder of work that still needs to be done.
"We start telling our story, we start telling our narrative, we start coming together around that, and so there's a joy in the liberation and there's a pain that the work is still necessary," she said.
Miami Police said no one has been arrested, but in the meantime, the investigation continues and so does an increased police presence.
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