MAKIN’ A DIFFERENCE COMMENTARY by Ken Makin Augusta needs more murals

One of Augusta’s great sights is the James Brown mural on Ninth Street. It is as dynamite as the late Godfather himself, with its vivid, larger-than-life depiction of the international icon.

For a long time, it disappointed me that the statue of Brown in downtown paled in comparison to the size of the white supremacist monument in front of the Augusta Chronicle, and wasn’t even taller than the statues in the Augusta Common. The colorful mural has changed how I view downtown, and may have provided a template for the rest of our city.

We need more murals.

Wall art, graffiti, whatever you want to call it – adds a soulful, urban element to any city. South Philly is full of wall art with beautiful Black faces and motivational messages. We need that energy in Augusta, and you can see glimpses of it in both downtown and the Laney-Walker District. Murals can provide a glimpse into history, such