Have you seen the Wicker Park “I Am A Man” mural? This striking piece of art honors a pivotal moment in Black history and is located off the Blue Line in Wicker Park.

Standing more than 30 feet tall, the black-and-white mural graces the intersection of Milwaukee Avenue and Wood and Wolcott streets. It depicts the iconic image of a Black man holding a sign that reads, “I AM A MAN.” This project, led by Darius Dennis with artists Ephraim Gebre, Robin Alcantara, and Jared Diaz, is the first in a series of three similar murals planned throughout Chicago.

Hand-painted mural in Wicker Park, Chicago, IL. Located on the corner of N. Milwaukee and Wolcott. Painted and organized by Jared Diaz, Darius Dennis, Ephraim Gebre, and Robin Alcantara.

The mural recreates a photograph taken by Bob Adelman during the funeral for Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 in Memphis. King was in Memphis to support the sanitation workers’ strike, where the “I AM A MAN” sign was prominently displayed by workers advocating for their civil rights. Tragically, King was assassinated the day after his visit, during which he delivered his famous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech. The “I AM A MAN” sign has since become a powerful symbol in civil rights protests.

See more art, here.

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