A mural of Jackie Robinson, the first Black American to play Major League Baseball in 1947, in Overtown has been defaced with racist graffiti, including a swastika and the n-word.
The image of Robinson is part of a larger mural located in Dorsey Park, once home to the Negro Leagues’ Ethiopian Clowns. Originally painted in 2012 through the MLK Mural Project, the artwork was a collaboration between Moving Lives of Kids (MLK), Urgent Inc. and Touching Miami with Love. It included collaborations with world-renowned artist Kadir Nelson, local artists and youth. Approximately 650 children and families participated in the creation of the murals.
The vandalism appeared on the section of the mural located at the corner of Northwest 17th Street and Northwest 1st Avenue. The Miami Police Department said they were made aware of the graffiti on the mural and are investigating it as a hate crime, according to NBC6.
“This was an act of hate, but it will not define us,” said Kyle Holbrook, founder of the MLK Mural Project. “This mural was born from a community’s pride, history, and power. We will restore it—stronger, bolder, and with even more purpose. Black history is American history. And no spray paint can erase that truth.”
Local leaders, artists and residents are already organizing efforts to restore and expand the mural, according to a press release. Representatives of several organizations, including Catalyst Miami, the Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum, the Overtown Business Association, the Overtown Children and Youth Coalition and Urgent Inc. spoke out against the defacement at a press conference Tuesday morning.
“This wasn’t just an act of vandalism — it was a vile attempt to desecrate Black history, to disrespect a sacred space in Overtown, and to send a message of hate in the very place where we have worked so hard to preserve legacy and uplift community pride,” wrote Metris Batts, executive director at The Overtown Business Association, in a post on Facebook.
She added, “But here’s what they didn’t count on: our unity. Our resilience. Our refusal to be erased.”
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