There’s ‘No Room For Racism’ In Rock Hill, A Mural To Make People Think

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Downtown Rock Hill has a new mural.

It’s on the road on White Street in Rock Hill with the phrase ‘No Room for Racism’.

Brittney Kelly, the owner of Mercantile, wants to work to educate people through the
mural that was sketched with chalk by local artist, Heather Johnson.

She along with The Bell Group, India Hook Dental and Kelly’s family and friends painted her chalk sketches on Sunday 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 hopes the younger generations will walk up to the painting and ask “Who’s that?” and the African American community will feel included.

She says everyone is including black lives matter, but 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,” Kelly said. “I can’t tell you how many people scrolling social media had no idea what happened here. 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.”

“I want to say what a beautiful and wonderful job to have a city that will adopt a motto of no room for racism, ” Pastor C.T. Kirk said. “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.”

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

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