New mural celebrates South Dallas pride at the intersection of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr.

By |Published On: September 16, 2024|Categories: South Dallas|
The crowd shifts away from the front of the mural to allow Hasani Burton, Derrick Walker, Joe Powell, Simone Sawyer, Lakeem Wilson and Harrison Blair with the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, to cut the red ribbon. Wilson takes the pair of large golden scissors, and an uproar of applause and cheers emerges, as the ribbon splits in two. Photo by Brenda Hernandez

South Dallas community members gathered last weekend for the unveiling of a new mural depicting Civil Rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X marching together, paying homage to the vibrant history and resilience of South Dallas.

South Dallas needs a renaissance, kind of like Harlem in New York City,” says Hasani Burton, who owns the 104-year-old Kemet Media building on the southern corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X boulevards. “We are at a point where we can really just draw on creativity, arts and culture here in the community — that’s when the South Dallas renaissance began, on Feb. 9.”

Feb. 9 is when Lakeem Wilson’s Juanita Craft mural was unveiled on the adjacent side of Burton’s building. Wilson, a South Dallas native and Legendary Lincoln High School graduate, also designed the new mural, “A March Towards Recovery.” 

Lakeem Wilson stands in front of his latest South Dallas mural located at the intersection of Malcom X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards. Photo by @Lakeemwilson.com_ on Instagram

“This mural is a reflection of the two concepts of us marching for our rights and our political power, but also marching for the celebration of our culture,” Wilson says before the mural is unveiled. “I want the community to get a sense of pride and ownership when people see the mural. I wanted this mural to pay homage to the celebration of culture and th