Newark Unveils “The Elders Spoke and We Bloomed” Mural: A 250-Foot Tribute to Black Resilience

Mayor Ras J. Baraka and the Newark Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs have officially unveiled a breathtaking new mural titled “The Elders Spoke and We Bloomed.” Located at Catholic Charities (321 Central Avenue), this nearly 250-foot site-specific installation is the work of acclaimed Arts High School alumna and mixed-media artist Danielle Scott.

The mural serves as a vibrant “love letter” to the city, celebrating the resilience, leadership, and historical legacy of Black men in Newark. Commissioned by Director fayemi shakur and coordinated by Rebecca Pauline Jampol of Project for Empty Space, the project merges historical archives with contemporary portraiture.

“The spirit of Newarkers is so palpable you forget you are looking at a wall,” said Mayor Baraka. “I’m grateful to the artist, photographers, and everyone involved for illustrating so vividly that in Newark, all possibilities can take root and blossom.”

A Fusion of History, Community, and Art

Danielle Scott, known for her intricate collage and assemblage style, originally crafted the mural as an 18” x 300” studio piece before it was scaled for the Central Avenue wall. The project was deeply informed by the concept of Sankofa—looking back to move forward—and involved extensive research with local historian Junius Williams.
The mural draws from diverse archival sources, including:

• The Newark Public Library’s Charles F. Cumming Research Center.
• Photographs from the Newark Archives Project and family collections of artist Adrienne Wheeler.
• Images by historic photographers Furnish Green and Bob Poeschl.

The installation features a “who’s who” of Newark leadership, including Amiri Baraka, Amina Baraka, Donald Tucker, Robert Curvin, and Ken Gibson, alongside contemporary portraits of local figures captured by photographer Chrys Davis.

Symbolism: The Garden of Black Memory

Interlacing the black-and-white portraits are vibrant, hand-painted flowers—a recurring motif Scott photographed while documenting her heritage in Cuba. These floral elements symbolize the cycles of growth, remembrance, and the “bloom” of the community.
“The flowers honor the lives represented here as seeds that continue to bloom across generations,” Scott explained. “I see the mural as a living monument… protected by Black advocates, nurtured by Black families, and remembered through Black storytelling.”

Visit the Mural

Location: Catholic Charities, 321 Central Avenue, Newark, NJ.
Artist: Danielle Scott
Partners: City of Newark Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs, Department of Public Works, Project for Empty Space.