On the eastside of Jacksonville, at the corner of A. Philip Randolph Boulevard and Pippin Street, is the Man Cave Barbershop building. The building recently received a new paint job and it’s a work of art.
The “Locals and Legends” mural was painted by artists from Jacksonville Cultural Development Corporation; Suzanne Pickett (Executive Director ), Marsha Hatcher, Annelies Dykgraaf, and the Groundwork Jacksonville 2017 Greenteam.
The mural consist of seven portraits painted in bright colors within a geometric pattern. The Mural honors legends; Asa Philip Randolph, Zora Neale Hurston, James Weldon Johnson, Bob Hayes and A.L.Lewis and locals, Clarence Williams, and Pearlie Graham.
Asa Philip Randolph was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, the American labor movement, and socialist political parties. In 1963, Randolph was the head of the March on Washington, which was organized by Bayard Rustin, at which Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech.
Zora Neale Hurston was an American novelist, short story writer, folklorist, and anthropologist known for her contributions to African-American literature, her portrayal of racial struggles in the American South, and works documenting her research on Haitian voodoo.
James Weldon Johnson was an American author, educator, lawyer, diplomat, songwriter, poet, and civil rights activist.
Robert Lee “Bullet Bob” Hayes (December 20, 1942 – September 18, 2002) was an Olympic sprinter turned American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. An American track and field athlete, he was a two-sport stand-out in college in both track and football at Florida A&M University.
A.L Lewis was the president of the (Afro- American) Life Insurance Company, and a founder of American Beach. American Beach was a Nassau County vacation spot for African-Americans during segregation
Clarence Williams was a local businessman who was deeply involved in the Eastside community. He once owned the building he and the others are now painted on.
Pearlie Graham, the only living “Locals and Legends” remains involved in the community and was the long-time owner of nearby Spot Rite Cleaners.
The dedication ceremony for the mural took place this morning as part of Public Art Week. Additional murals are planned for the area with the end goal of creating a “Mural Tour” with the hopes of bring additional revenue into the community.
