VALDOSTA – History makes its way from books and onto the canvas of Downtown Valdosta thanks to a new mural honoring civil rights figures of the past.

The Christ the King Church has initiated the creation of the mural.

According to church officials, the mural, located adjacent to Mack’s Park on McKey Street, will showcase a collection of portraits representing notable leaders who have made significant contributions to promoting equality, LGBTQ rights and the pursuit of justice.

Michael Noll, junior warden for Christ the King and member of Racial Justice Georgia, said the primary goal of the mural is to “work toward a society that is based on justice, equality and compassion for all members of the human race, to tell the truth about our communities and ourselves, and to dismantle racism and homophobia.”

The mural’s creation is a collaborative effort between painter Taylor Shaw, who was also behind the creation of downtown’s “Valdosta” mural, and A’Shadrian Clayton, a student at Valdosta State University.

Among the individuals to be depicted are Saint Anna Alexander, a revered saint of the Diocese of Georgia since 1998, and John Lewis, a renowned civil rights leader hailing from Georgia.

The mural features portraits of Martin Luther King Jr., internationally acclaimed civil rights leader and Georgia native famous for his “I Have a Dream” speech, Howard Thurman, an influential author, theologian and civil rights advocate, and Marsha P. Johnson, a prominent figure in the fight for LGBTQ rights.

The artwork will also pay tribute to the memory of those who had their lives cut short due to racial violence.

A tree with a female body represents Mary Turner, a victim of the 1918 Georgia lynching rampage who suffered a horrifying fate after her husband, Hayes Turner, was killed in Brooks County following the death of a white plantation owner. Mary Turner spoke out against the lynching and vowed to have those responsible brought to justice, and in retaliation, a mob targeted her and lynched her while being eight months pregnant.

A smaller portrait depicts Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was fatally shot while jogging in his neighborhood. A video emerged, showing two white men confronting and pursuing him, claiming they believed he was a burglary suspect.

The incident sparked outrage and ignited national conversations about racial profiling, vigilantism, and the need for justice and accountability.

The mural will further honor Harriet Tubman, Maya Angelou and Malcolm X, whose contributions to civil rights are widely recognized.

Interwoven throughout the mural is a rainbow-colored ribbon symbolizing inclusivity and LGBTQ rights. One section of the ribbon will display poignant notes and lyrics from the Billie Holiday song “Strange Fruit,” which delivers a message about the horrors of lynching during the early 20th century.

Written as a poem by Abel Meeropol, the song describes the sight of lynched African Americans hanging from trees, evoking chilling images of race-based hate crimes.

In an interview with The Valdosta Daily Times, Brandie Dame, Main Street director, said the mural will be another statement piece for the city.

“Everybody will love it. … It’s about time that something like that is coming to the Valdosta area that showcases these activists,” she said.