The City of Fayetteville, North Carolina, began with the official removal of a Black Lives Matter (BLM) mural Monday.
The mural was first placed in the summer 2020 after nationwide BLM protests in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. City leaders voted unanimously to allow the mural. It was an attempt to help with the BLM protest and to add more art to the historic district, ABC 11 reported. (RELATED: Miami Black Lives Matter Organizer Arrested For Nabbing Flags From Pro-Trump Demonstration)
The artwork was placed encircling the Market House in downtown Fayetteville. The Market House previously operated as an establishment where enslaved men and woman were bought and sold during the 1800s, according to WRAL. It was declared a national historic landmark in 1973.
The art was not meant to be a permanent placement in downtown Fayetteville, according to WRAL. Mayor Mitch Colvin said in a previous statement that he would, “like to commend the Council for making this bold statement immediately following the tragic death of George Floyd and highlighting the racial injustice across America.”
Because of the history of the Market House, a petition that garnered more than 117,000 signatures for complete removal was obtained in June of 2020. This was enough for mayor Mitch Colvin to call for an open discussion for the community to share their thoughts on the future of the Market House, WRAL reported.