John Lewis Mural Unveiled on Buffalo’s East Side

Earlier this year officials announced that a new mural was coming to Buffalo's east side and that mural was being created to honor John Lewis, the former Congressman and civil rights legend icon from Georgia.

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Since Buffalo is known for its great architecture and amazing art, this new mural would make a great addition to an already impressive list of murals in the city. We have no shortage of great murals throughout the city and I had the honor of being among a select few individuals who were invited to watch the unveiling of the finished product.

In hindsight, it's perplexing as to why John Lewis isn't present on the Freedom Wall considering his life's work. I do believe however that things happen in a divine order, making it more fitting and appropriate that he prominently stands watchfully over such an iconic, yet forgotten and neglected part of the City as a symbol of hope, resiliency and as a vision of restoration and healing
-Edreys Wajed, Artist and Owner of Eat of Art

Edreys Wajed, the artist who was commissioned to create the mural, was joined by the Executive Director of the Matt Urban Center Ben Hilligas, Fillmore District Buffalo Common Councilmember Mitch Nowakowski, Erie County First District Legislator Howard Johnson, US Congressman Brian Higgins, and Author LaGuan Rodgers in a small park next to the Matt Urban Hope Center. The mural is located on the side of the Hope Center, which is located at 385 Paderewski Dr., at the corner of Memorial Drive, in Buffalo.

Listen to Edreys Wajed discuss his motivation for the mural and the efforts it took to complete it.

The mural, which is about 34 feet tall by 25 feet wide, covers more than 800 square feet of the outside of the building and faces the Buffalo Central Terminal.