On a warm sunny morning, a steady stream of people wander along the two-block-long section of 16th Street Northwest in downtown Washington, DC. Their arms outstretched towards the sky, people take selfies against the bright capital yellow letters now painted on the street.
A white woman and her two black teenage children discuss a series of murals painted on the boarded up facade of a law firm: a raised black fist, a crying medic, a black woman meditating next to the words “No Justice, No Peace”. A couple nearby stares at a list of names of people who have died at the hands of police.
The stretch of road leading to the White House has long been considered a centre of power in the US, lined with powerful law and lobbying firms. But the once-busy intersection is now blocked off for pedestrian traffic only. On June 5, at the height of the protests following the death of George Floyd, the DC Public Works Department painted the words "Black Lives Matter" in 11-metre high yellow capital letters and the city’s mayor Muriel Bowser designated the blocks as “Black Lives Matter Plaza”.
While mass protests have since dissipated, the street mural has now become a tourist hotspot. Ricky Mercado and Linnea Brown drove two hours from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania just to see the Plaza.
“Just seeing it come to life, even just blocking off two of the most important streets in Washington for them to make a statement, it’s pretty awesome,” says Mr Mercado.
Mr Mercado and Ms Brown watched on television as law enforcement tear-gassed protesters outside St John's Church on the Plaza’s corner so President Donald Trump could take a photo in front of the church’s parish house, which had been damaged by a fire during protests the night before.
“We see it on the news and now we’re just up close and personal with history,” Ms Brown explains. “For us, our parents have been through this, but this is our first time going through this kind of civil unrest. I’m not out there protesting, but I did want to see everything that’s going on out here.”
Artists hope to create ‘living BLM memorial’
Mayor Bowser has not announced her long term vision for Black Lives Matter Plaza, which is currently under temporary designation.
Artists and activists hope the space is here to stay permanently.
John Chisholm, the executive director of P.A.I.N.T.S. Institute, which is behind some of the murals, would like to see long-term art and photography installations in the Plaza.
“A living memorial is what I’d like to see for Black Lives Matters Plaza,” says Mr Chisholm. “Let’s not mourn, let’s not talk about the day when this happened, but let’s try to find a way to integrate this all into movement.”
Unlike erecting a plaque or statue, Mr Chisholm hopes making the Plaza a living memorial will allow the space to evolve as the Black Lives Matter movement progresses. He says the notoriety around Black Lives Matter Plaza and its proximity to the White House offers a good opportunity to educate people about racial issues in the US.
“So much of the conversation is just a statement of ‘Black Lives Matter’ and that’s the end of it,” says Mr Chisholm. “What we’re trying to do is draw attention. Art draws people’s attention. Once people are aware of something they can then be educated. And only after you’re educated can you make informed decisions that drive action.”
Many of the murals around the Plaza are currently on boarded up windows of office buildings that are closed because of coronavirus restrictions. But businesses will eventually reopen, putting the future of the tributes into question.
Mr Chisholm says plans are currently in the works to make sure the art will be preserved. Some of the boards will be donated to elementary schools, while others are being considered for induction into museums like the Smithsonian.
“We’ve been really successful with a lot of our partners to figure out what those next steps are. I’ve got property owners that have said they want to auction these pieces off as an option to raise money and put that back into the community,” says Mr Chisholm. “Repurposing them gives them a whole new life and will start to affect generational change.”
As Mr Chisholm finishes his words, a little boy poses under a mural of a painted brown and yellow rainbow, the words “brown babes are magic” hang next to him as his father snaps a photo.
