St. Louis Street Art Protests Racial Inequality

Jun 21

Protest art lines boarded up storefronts on Delmar Boulevard in the University City neighborhood of St. Louis. George Floyd mural painted by St. Louis artist Ben Angelly. Photos by Mary Kunz.

In these tumultuous times, street art across America, including in St. Louis, has become a common backdrop as a form of protest art in the Black Lives Matter movement. St. Louis street art has popped up around the city, especially in the U. City Delmar Loop area, and neighborhoods in the South city like S. Grand. The street art promotes racial justice and an end to police brutality.

St. Louis Street Art in U. City

Protest art calling for justice lines the boarded up shops on Delmar in U. City, St. Louis.

University City in St. Louis has always been a hotspot for counter culture movements and free thinkers, and it’s no surprise that U. City’s Delmar Loop sprang up with protest art almost over night. Many of the storefronts are boarded up due to the coronavirus shutdown, and St. Louis artists have come out to paint the boarded up shops with Black Lives Matter street art.

U. Woke City street art on Delmar and Kingsland Ave. in the St. Louis Loop.

Black Lives Matter murals on Delmar include a portrait of George Floyd, painted by St. Louis artist Ben Angelly. George Floyd was the 46-year-old Minneapolis man who was killed by the police in a graphic video with white officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds until he died, unable to breathe. Floyd’s death sparked a renewed Black Lives Matter movement and spurred millions of protesters to march around the world, calling for racial justice and an end to police brutality, militarized policing, systemic racism, and white police officers murdering black people.

Street art by Michelle Sauer at Corner 17 on Delmar in the Loop.

Street art on Delmar in the St. Louis Loop.

Some of the U. City street art is part of Painted Black STL, which “empowers black artists to creatively express themselves on buildings that have been the target of recent property damage,” according to the group’s Gofundme page. “While they are seen by some as a mark of violence and destruction, these boarded up buildings can become symbols of genuine community pride, hope, cooperation, and equity through the support of local black artists.”

A wide range of local artists, including student artists, came out to paint Black Lives Matter art in the Loop. Some of the artists include Michelle Sauer, Kay Steph Studios, SBS, Leela, Monty and many more.

South St. Louis Street Art

South City in St. Louis also was graced by protest art, with many Black Lives Matter murals lining S. Grand Boulevard beginning at Arsenal Street and running south.

The St. Louis murals on Grand range from old school, big bubble graffiti letters to signs of protest, portraits and the resistance symbols of raised fists.

Unity mural painted by St. Louis artist Ash Sirois on Grand Avenue near Arsenal in St. Louis.

St. Louis artist Ash Sirois painted a George Floyd mural and Unity art on S. Grand near the intersection with Arsenal Street. The striking white backdrop makes the art and message pop out. Next to the unity street art, Vote art continues the spirit of resistance.

Further south on Grand Avenue, more murals call for racial justice, with Skate Don’t Hate street art collab by artists @Hoopsiedee, @angelajslick and @artistsanonymousstl.

Skate Don’t Hate street art on Grand Avenue by Humphrey Street in St. Louis.

Resist art on Grand Avenue near Arsenal.

Ferguson

Black Lives Matter art on Delmar by Kay Steph Studios.

St. Louis has an ongoing history of racial divide, which rose to the national spotlight in 2014 with the Ferguson protests of the police killing of African American man Michael Brown. The police imposed a curfew and brought out militarized riot squads to squash the protests. Officer Darren Wilson, who killed Michael Brown, was acquitted of charges by a grand jury in St. Louis and protests continued, with continued aggression from the police department in reaction. Later the Department of Justice investigated and ruled in March 2015, that the FPD had engaged in misconduct against the citizens of Ferguson by, among other things, discriminating against African Americans and applying racial stereotypes in a "pattern or practice of unlawful conduct." The DOJ also found that Ferguson depended on fines and other charges generated by police.

In St. Louis, as the rest of the country, there is much work to be done to battle systemic racism and ongoing violence by the police against people of color. To find out more about Black Lives Matter movement, check out the BLM website.

Protest art and Black Lives Matter murals draw attention to the issues that confront the nation in these tumultuous time and inspire action and change.

Marnie Kunz is a RRCA-certified running coach and the creator of Runstreet Art Runs, which bring together communities through running and street art. She is a Brooklyn resident, running coach and writer. She enjoys traveling, art, and eating messily. You can follow her running and events at @Runstreet Instagram and Runstreet Facebook.

Disclaimer: Runstreet may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Resources: Painted Black STL, Art ists Painted Boarded Up Windows with Messages of Hope, Black Lives Matter