Welcome to beautiful Black Bottom [commemoration of Detroit's Black medical leaders]

Welcome to beautiful Black Bottom [commemoration of Detroit's Black medical leaders]

AAT:
mural paintings (visual works)
African American
physicians
communities (social groups)

LCSH:
Mural painting and decoration, American--Michigan--Detroit--21st Century.
Black people in medicine--Michigan--Detroit.
Medical personnel--Michigan--Detroit.
Black Bottom (Detroit, Mich.)--In art.
Wayne State University. School of Medicine--In art.

Painted primarily in bright jewel tones against a dark background is a series of panel paintings celebrating the impact of African American medical personnel who have connections to Detroit, and the historic Black Bottom community. Stretching along a concrete wall surrounding a building the words "Welcome to Beautiful Black Bottom" is painted in pink at the far left of the mural. "Harm, none, service" is painted near the bottom in blue. Three women are depicted with these words. To the right is what appears to be human lungs and several large pink lily-like flowers. Further on are portraits of two women who were sisters, all depicted within the flower corresponding to their names. The first is that of "Lily [Belle Hill] Robinson" whose name is written in purple over pink script with the word "respect" written in blue beneath. Just to the right is the portrait of another woman painted inside of a Daisy flower. Her name is written in an arc above her "Daisy (Hill) Northcross" and beneath this to the right is the word "gratitude". Next is a house painted red with blue highlights. A portrait of a man is next to it with the words "humanity" and "Sidney Barthwell Sr." Next to that, two Barthwell's store fronts are shown. Moving further to the right is another portrait of a woman with the word "dignity" below on the right in blue and her name "Dr. Marjorie Peebles-Meyers". Just to the right is a caduceus above a pair of hands holding a female portrait contained within a red rosebud. Her name "Rosebud (Hill) Goins" is painted in pink above her shoulders. The next figure to that is a portrait of a man wearing glasses and pointing to the time on his watch. His name, "Dr. Robert Greenidge," is written in pink above his head. Next to that is a sketch of several structures followed by the multipart facade of a hospital identified as the "Bethesda Hospital" above. This is followed by the portrait of a woman identified as "Dr. Alexa Canady" above her likeness, with the word "trust" in blue below. The word "integrity" is written next to a drawing of an anatomical heart and a building identified through its sign as the Wayne State School of Medicine. Just to the right, seen in profile is an unnamed young Black woman who looks back at the individuals and places depicted in the mural. Surrounding her are biological strands that are woven throughout the entire mural. Beyond this to the right are several concentric circles and more biological strands. The final scene at the right side contains a contour drawing of three people gathered together with bright red crosses visible on the clothing of two of the three people.

Cara Young [lead muralist]

College of Fine and Performing Arts at Wayne State University

Created: 2022
Photographed: 2022-11-03

School of Medicine at Wayne State University [structure]

paint on wooden panels

Still Image

DMM-2022-00115

Nichols, D. A. (2022, Oct. 28). Opinion: Black Bottom mural celebrates Black history in Detroit. Detroit Free Press. https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2022/10/28/black-bottom-detroit-black-history-urban-renewal/69556670007/

School of Medicine News. (2022, Sep. 20). Community joins with WSU to celebrate mural commemorating Detroit's Black medical leaders. Today @ Wayne. https://today.wayne.edu/medicine/news/2022/09/20/community-joins-with-wsu-to-celebrate-mural-commemorating-detroits-black-medical-leaders-49245

Archer, J. (2022, Dec. 4). Healing Detroit: The stories of Detroit’s Black medical pioneers featured in Wayne State University's "The Real" mural. StoryMaps. https://storymaps.com/stories/3a815852363b415489945b46f0632c13

Address: 540 E Canfield St, Detroit, MI 48201
Coordinates: 42.35486244369139, -83.05553748365566