DERBY – A mural to honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., along with two other prominent Black figures in the Valley’s history, will soon grace a portion of the flood wall along the Derby Greenway.
About 30 members of TEAM, Inc’s “MLK Unity in the Community Committee” and city and local leaders gathered Monday (Aug. 11) at a section of the greenway near the intersection of Main and Bridge streets to kick off the project, which has been in the planning stages for years.
New Haven artist Isaac Bloodworth, who has created other MLK murals at New Haven City Hall, around New Haven and the surrounding area, was commissioned by the committee in 2020 to create a visual tribute to the influential civil rights leader. In addition to featuring MLK, the mural will also pay homage to two other influential Black Americans, Mary Portis and Ebenezer Bassett.
Portis, according to TEAM president and CEO David Mogan, was the first female Scout Executive (and first in the 80-year history of the Boy Scouts of America) to lead the Derby-based Housatonic Council Boy Scouts of America. The trail-blazing Portis also spearheaded efforts to recruit youth from underserved neighborhoods, according to Morgan.
Bassett grew up in Derby and became the first African American to be appointed as a U.S. Ambassador in 1869 to a foreign country, according to Morgan.
The committee has been fundraising for several years to make the dream of a mural possible, according to Morgan, and recently achieved its $15,000 goal to make the project a reality.
Bloodworth said he’ll start the project this week and expects it to be completed in late October. The mural will grace a portion of the flood wall, about 19 feet high by 15 feet wide.
“MLK is a very important figure, and he is one of the many pillars that make up Black history,” Bloodworth said. “It’s important that we highlight others in the community and uplift Black history in Derby and beyond.”
Greg Johnson, president of the Valley NAACP, was on hand Monday to help kick-off the project.
“There’s a plethora of history that comes out of Derby, Ansonia and Shelton and people that are black and brown and white and whatever other nationalities they come from, who represent this great Valley of ours,” Johnson said. “This mural has been a long time coming. This is a community mural. This is our mural. And when you walk by, run by, cycle by or drive by, this is history right here in Derby.”
Derby Mayor Joseph DiMartino, who Morgan said was instrumental in helping the community find the right spot for the mural and has been supportive of the project, is excited Derby will be home to the mural.
“Dr. King’s life work was in the pursuit of bringing people together, and today we celebrate and honor what he accomplished,” DiMartino said. “It’s especially meaningful for us as we celebrate the 350th anniversary of the city to also incorporate Mary Portis and Ebenezer Bassett, all remarkable citizens of Derby and the Valley into this mural.”
The mural is one of several projects the committee has been involved in for the past few years to raise awareness and inspire others with its message of unity. They helped get a prominent bust of MLK built a few years back, which is located in front of Ansonia City Hall.
Other projects have included Juneteenth celebrations, MLK Day events and a series of panelist events focused on community trust, connecting and building local relationships, ensuring opportunities and a level playing field for all to reach their fullest potential, public safety and policing, education and more.
Morgan said the committee is also working to establish a dedicated MLK Committee Fund at The Valley Community Foundation, which he said will ensure the caretaking of the ongoing efforts with murals and busts, as well as “for future people and generations to carry forward civic engagement and education work of TEAM’s MLK Unity in the Community Committee.”
More information about donating can be found on TEAM’s website.
Committee co-chair and Pastor Brian Riley, formerly of Clinton AME Zion Church in Ansonia, said the mural will help unite the community and all who see it.
“It’s a beautiful thing to have a stronger sense of community and togetherness, which is all predicated by love,” Riley said. “Those that will be featured on the mural were for rights for everyone, out of love. Togetherness and love, and a continued effort to strengthen our communities, that’s what fuels me to be here today and be part of this group.”
After the speaking portion of Monday’s event concluded, many in attendance grabbed paint brushes and paint rollers, dipped them into some white primer paint, and applied it directly to the gray cement wall that’ll serve as the backdrop for the mural.
