GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — During Black History Month, black thinkers, leaders, politicians and more are brought to the forefront in schools and communities around the country. But in Grand Rapids, one artist is using a series of billboards to highlight black figures that are often overlooked.
Adeshola Makinde partnered with Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc. (DGRI) on the nine billboards around the city that feature a blank background and a handwritten quote. Makinde, a Grand Rapids native and artist, said he's been working on this collaboration since June.
"I first and foremost wanted to highlight black figures that I thought schools omitted or changed the narrative to," Makinde said. "The quotes I chose revolve around the idea of wanting to empower black people. Either through a call to action or affirmation of our strength to endure."
The quotes are from Coretta Scott King, Fred Hampton, Angela Davis, Malcolm X, Shirley Chisholm, James Baldwin, Fannie Lou Hammer, Huey P. Newton and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Black power is giving power to people who have not had power to determine their destiny," reads the quote from Huey P. Newton with is displayed above Leonard Street at Pine Avenue NW. Newton was an activist who co-founded the Black Panther Party.
Makinde said he hopes these billboards allow black residents to feel seen.
"I’d love for this work to be something of a unifier of people behind a collective idea. Whether it’s a call to action in how we obtain liberation or what 'Black Power' really means," he said.
While downtown Grand Rapids is thriving with new developments, a bustling entertainment scene and a growing population, Andy Guy with DGRI said "communities of color in Grand Rapids often express a distinct feeling of unwelcomeness or exclusion when they're downtown."
Because of that DGRI wanted to partner with Makinde to make his idea a reality. Guy said the billboards are significant for the city of Grand Rapids because they honor important thought leaders from the black community.
"We also humbly hope there’s some significance in expanding the many ways communities of color 'see' themselves in Downtown – whether that’s thought leadership on a billboard, festival events that celebrate our many cultures or an entrepreneur opening a new business," Guy said.
The billboards are in every quadrant of the city, and Guy said they focused on installing them in neighborhoods and in the central downtown area. But Makinde said these messages are not just important for Grand Rapidians, rather they are relevant to people all over the world.
"The goal is to share knowledge in some way through art," Makinde said.
While most of the billboards are scattered throughout the city, Makinde said he had one specific billboard planned for a certain location. The quote from Coretta Scott King says, "The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members." This one is installed at Division Avenue S and Williams Street SW, which is near several shelters such as Mel Trotter and Degage Ministries.
"It’s a call to action for the community to take care of the less fortunate and I believe that’s something we all need as a reminder in society today. I believe that location speaks to that," said Makinde.
The billboards will stay up through February.
This art project is just one initiative from DGRI during Black History Month. There are also exhibits at the public library, walking tours, shows at local venues and other events—all of which commemorate the month. The Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives is also open year round.
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