Black Lives Matter murals planned, painted in Hamilton, Middletown

A Black Lives Matter mural is planned for a side of the building at 220 S. Third St. in Hamilton, with advocates seeking to raise $90,000 for the project using a crowdfunding website.

Meanwhile, 2003 Middletown High School graduate Ashli Szymanski this summer has been painting a series of Black Lives Matter murals on the Middletown building at 20 N. Broad St., including images of some of the Black people whose killings have outraged people nationwide in recent years.

Cinematographer Nikk Hearn-Sutton is at the forefront of the Hamilton mural effort, organized through a GoFundMe campaign under the name, “The Hamilton Ohio Black Lives Matter Mural.” Promoters are seeking to raise $90,000 toward the effort.

According to Hearn-Sutton’s posting on GoFundMe, the Black Lives Matter Coalition of Hamilton, which stands against injustice, police brutality and mistreatment, will do a first awareness project as the mural

Painting of that mural should start Sept. 8, with unveiling about a week later if the weather cooperates.

“During this process, I will be shooting a documentary of the making of the mural and interviews of the artists individually and a panel,” Hearn-Sutton wrote.

Money raised will go toward supplies, paint, rental equipment and payment to the artists for their work.

The proposed Hamilton mural is to include a quote from Booker T. Washington: “In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.”

In Middletown, Szymanski said her work on the murals there has been a pleasure. It features portraits of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, Elijah McClain and others.

She has been supported in painting of the murals by others who helped paint and who provided morale support. Her work is continuing.

ExploreMiddletown mural to support Black Lives Matter on business plywood

It has been a community effort, with friends of the informal group known as “the Middletown Black Lives Matter Helping Herd,” a name that was coined by a 7-year-old girl, who also came up with a group song, handshake and dance, Szymanski said.

Szymanski, who now lives in Finneytown, said she was approached by building owner John Hutton about the project. Hutton, owner of Tritech Light and Sound, put plywood on the building when he heard there would be a rally and was concerned about the windows. The March for Unity, organized by the NAACP, Middletown police and local officials, was peaceful. People later stapled “I Can’t Breathe” sheets of paper to the plywood.

Hutton wanted more permanent messages and artwork.

Szymanski said she looks forward to making a “road trip” to visit Hamilton’s mural when it is finished.