Two years ago acclaimed children's book illustrator and OCC Alumni Faces honoree London Ladd, '95 was asked to be part of a project to revitalize the gateway to the Southside of Syracuse. He jumped at the opportunity to paint two murals honoring Martin Luther King and Frederick Douglass. He would spend a month-and-a-half working underneath the bridge at the corner of Salina and Taylor Streets, creating his tribute to two men who had accomplished so much for others.
In the days following the videotaped police killing of George Floyd, Ladd decided to return to the murals he created, reflect on their meaning, and draw strength from them. Much to his surprise, someone had vandalized the Douglass mural. "At first I was angry and disappointed. I woke up at 3:30 in the morning and couldn't stop thinking about it. Then my thoughts shifted to the positives and doing something productive, as Douglass and King would do."
By 8am, Ladd had packed up his painting supplies and returned to Salina and Taylor Streets to reclaim the murals original beauty and importance. He was relieved to find the murals were structurally sound and the damage wasn't as bad as he had remembered. "I was able to wash everything off. What was most fulfilling was that people stopped by to talk and share their stories with me. It was great to speak with them and reflect on the words of both Douglass and King, and how they are still relevant today. The art work and the message behind it brought us together and continues to do so."
