A New “No Room for Racism” Mural Painted in Rock Hill

 

Photo Credit: Pastor C.T. Kirk/CN2 News

ROCK HILL, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) Downtown Rock Hill has a new mural on the road. The new mural was painted on White Street in Rock Hill with the phrase, “No Room for Racism.”

The owner of Mercantile, Brittney Kelly, says she wants to work to educate people through the mural that was painted by a local artist, Heather Johnson.

The mural was painted this past Sunday, July 5, to make people think and encourage unity.

The first letters are filled with the colors of the city’s logo and the last nine letters are the faces of the Friendship Nine stenciled in black and white. It runs 100 feet through the downtown area.

Rock Hill residents, families, Councilwoman Nikita Jackson, Mayor Gettys and even a member of the Friendship 9 have already visited the mural to show their support.

Kelly says she hopes younger generations will walk up to the painting and ask “Who’s that?” and the African American community will feel included. She says she wanted to do something that’s more unique to Rock Hill.

“I want education around it, I just felt like we could accomplish so much more of the conversation from having no room for racism, so many people don’t even realize that’s our city motto — and what took place here, I can’t tell you how many people scrolling social media had no idea what happened here,” says Kelly. “I hope that that was the most googled in Rock Hill last night, that just makes me so happy that those that didn’t know now know how huge Rock Hill played in the civil rights movement.”

A local pastor, C.T. Kirk says, “I want to say what a beautiful and wonderful job to have a city that will adopt a motto of no room for racism. I just pray that everyone begins to live out the true meaning of these words and that our city, Rock Hill can be a better better place for everyone to live in.”

Brittney Kelly says after collaborating with Johnson on the painting, the City of Rock Hill was very quick to approve the project.

The Mercantile paid for the paint and volunteers brought out water for those involved in the project including: India Hook Dental, The Bell Group, and Kelly’s family and friends.

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