Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke speaks to members of the Chattanooga Times Free Press editorial board Wednesday, May 20, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tenn. A sitting City Councilman, delivering newspapers as a young boy. A Howard High School student, tuba in hand. A young woman, dancing with a musical icon from our city's past. Chattanooga's M.L. King Mural delivers those images and many more, using their stories to embody a larger history of our community. And large is not an overstatement.
Folks seeing it for the first time are struck by the sheer size of the mural -over 42,000 square feet, wrapping an entire city block. Made possible by the generosity of AT&T, the Benwood Foundation and the Lyndhurst Foundation alongside Public Art Chattanooga, the mural is the largest in the Southeast and fifth largest in the country. Even more impressive than the size, however, is the subtlety of the story.
The great civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. is represented throughout the mural. Not only is it located on a boulevard that bears his name and dedicated on his day when we busy ourselves with service to others, the Rev. King's words are woven throughout the mural alongside scenes of compassion, hope and renewal. Internationally acclaimed artist Meg Saligman and dozens of local artists worked hundreds of hours to translate a story - one steeped with symbolism and displayed proudly from four viewpoints: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Houston, 10th and King streets.
Tomorrow, as we dedicate the M.L. King Mural, I will talk about Chattanooga's bright future. Nowhere is that more evident than in the construction and activity alongside our former Ninth Street. But as we talk about days to come, we should all take a moment to reflect on our past and what we have today.
Whether you're walking around the block or driving past the mural, think about our history and the path we've charted together. Through the M.L. King Mural, we are all afforded a glimpse into our community's core - individual stories and a united story at the same time.
It's a story of hardships weathered together, of glory days full of music and laughter, and of our transformation into a city where opportunity shines bright.
It's Chattanooga's story - told boldly and proudly for the world to see.
Andy Berke is mayor of Chattanooga.