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

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.” 

“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 the MLK Parade that happens on this street.”

Wilson says it took about a month from conceptualizing the design to painting it. The City of Dallas Arts and Culture sponsored the mural as part of their Arts Activate program.

Twenty neighborhood residents participated in a community paint day in late August; Wilson says he “wanted the people who grew up here to be involved.”

The unveiling kicks off National Recovery Month and also Association of Persons Affected by Addiction (APAA)’s week of action celebrations, Sept. 16-21. APAA’s offices sit right across Malcolm X from Burton’s building.

“Wilson did a great job of capturing the community, and he even included me in the mural with the sign that says ‘Recovery Out Loud,’ ” says Joe Powell, APAA president and CEO. “We want to be the healthiest community that we can. This mural is about sticking together to make change, where every individual can be proud of this community.”

Burton, who bought the building in 2019, says he hopes his space will be a hub for creatives, providing them with access to studio space, professional equipment and mailing addresses.

“Art is the ultimate expression in our lifetime — to be able to create artwork that will outlive who we are as individuals,” Wilson says.