New Cambridge Mural Celebrates African American History

Harriet Tubman and Ella Fitzgerald are some familiar faces that are honored right off Route 50 in Cambridge.

A new mural commemorates the city’s African American heritage and comes a week before the 50th anniversary of the Cambridge Race Riots.

People like Deshawn Evans, who passed through town, stopped to check out the mural.

“I understand people overlooking small places and it’s great when you can have some type of history that you can be proud of and people actually came from here,” Evans said. “I think it’s a wonderful thing.”

The 48-foot wide mural took artist Michael Rosato nearly 400 hours and six weeks to complete.

Officials with Dorchester County Tourism say the new area plotted in front of the mural will likely be developed – possibly into a park.

Organizers, Dion Banks and Kisha Petticolas, say the mural is a remind of a dark but resilient time in Cambridge history.

“The city is growing and the city is progressing, but it’s one of those things that’s a taboo topic,” Banks said. “We could be growing at a lot faster pace.”

Officials and civil rights leaders from the Cambridge Riots will formally present the mural on July 21st.

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