'A walk through history': Community leaders develop art series to honor local Black women
To honor the contributions Black women have made throughout Columbus' rich history, community service group BREATHE and Easton Town Center have collaborated for a monthlong tribute.
Through the end of February, four Black female artists will forge their talents together to create an exhibit that encapsulates the lives of local figures such as Martha Hartway, a Black pioneer in the Columbus area; Mayme Moore, a civil-rights activist who helped found the Columbus NCAAP chapter; Charleta Tavares, a former member of the Ohio Senate; and Yolanda Harris, currently a WBNS-TV (Channel 10) news anchorwoman.
Columbus artists Francesca Miller, Katerina Fuller, Gini Elliott and Lisa McLymont will paint four 8-by-8-foot, wood-framed mural cubes. Once all four cubes are completed, the exhibit will continue to be available to the public in the Town Center's rotunda until March 31, according to Easton Management.
BREATHE organizer Rita Fuller-Yates said the campaign will spotlight the influence and contributions of local figures, whose stories aren't always well-known.
"So many times during Black History Month, it's always about national figures like Martin Luther King (and) Rosa Parks," Fuller-Yates said. "And although we don't want to discount those stories, one of the things that I'm trying to push and promote is we have our own stories here from people we can touch."
The honoring of local pioneers can prompt residents to learn more about the city's history and make similar contributions themselves.
"A lot of our stories are centered around slavery, and again, I never discount these stories, but I'm trying to explain that we've been out of slavery for hundreds of years," Fuller-Yates said. "We have done some amazing things for the past two hundred years, and that's what I focus on."
Through the collaboration, Easton Chief Executive Jennifer Peterson said the organization is providing the location for the exhibit free of charge.
"We were honored that BREATHE Columbus approached us to be the location for their special project to celebrate Black History Month by highlighting the journey of four Black female leaders from Columbus," Peterson said in a written statement. "We are confident that the stories of these impactful leaders will reach a wide audience given the number of guests we host each month, and we congratulate BREATHE on conceiving and creating the exhibition in celebration of Black History Month."
After hours of standing on concrete, meticulously painting her portion of the commemorative project, McLymont said the process has been challenging but worthwhile. Along with fraternizing with other Black female artists, the longtime Columbus resident said it's an opportunity for her to learn more about the capital city's history.
"I think there's a huge push now to give more Black people credit, so this is timely in the fact that there are some people that many don't know all they've done to help us get to where we are," McLymont said. "So I agree, history is really important to recognize."
The South Side resident will be illustrating the contributions of Harris. The relatively new muralist said she intends on focusing on various elements of Harris' life, which revolve around the promotion of volunteerism, community awareness and the fact that she is a pet-lover.
When Harris was approached about the project, the WBNS anchor said that she felt undeserving of the recognition. But knowing the impact the exhibition could have, especially for young, Black and Latino women, she embraced her role in the project. With her alongside the other three honorees, she is confident their various paths and contributions will encourage residents to make similar strides in their communities.
"Four different women, four different paths, and four different stories told through art. It’s powerful," Harris wrote in an email. "I hope people who see this leave with a greater understanding of the contributions Black people have made here, and how their walk through life has paved the way for those who come after them. I also hope people are moved by the talent of these local artists and grow a deeper appreciation for art in general."
McLymont said she doesn't know what to expect from the exhibition, but she is hopeful that these images will inspire younger community members to follow these women's footsteps, and in time, help propel the city forward.
"It's a really nice walk through history," she said. "I hope to see this come together, and more artists produce more honorariums."
Honorees and artists
• Martha Hartway — by artist Francesca Miller (on display)
• Mayme Moore — by artist Katerina Fuller (on display)
• Charleta Tavares — by artist Gini Elliott (to be presented today)
• Yolanda Harris — by artist Lisa McLymont (to be presented on Thursday)