Overtown celebrates 130 years, and Miami’s airport is showing the history
As Overtown celebrates 130 years, travelers will get a slice of the storied Black neighborhood’s history as they arrive at Miami International Airport.
The traveling exhibit, “Telling Overtown Stories, Saying Their Names,” will be on display until Oct. 13 near Door 11 of the Concourse E’s arrivals level. It features three large-scale interactive murals that reflect Overtown’s deep cultural roots and enduring ties to the African diaspora.
Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora curated the mobile interactive mural exhibit, which evolved from the existing murals seen in Overtown that highlight the neighborhood’s history, and include a QR code for visitors to scan and learn about the stories behind them.
Miami MoCAAD co-founder Marilyn Holifield said the exhibit highlights Overtown’s resilience and creativity rather than the stories of displacement that are often told about the area.
“Overtown is often talked about in terms of what was taken away, what was destroyed. This mural exhibition will simply recenter to that story, to what has endured and what is the exciting present,” Holifield said.
Three murals in the Miami airport exhibit
Here’s what’s on display:
”Overtown Our Family Tree,” painted by artist Anthony Renelle Reed II, depicts several generations and features a young woman with a raised fist, indicating the resiliency and pathway to a better Miami. The mural also can be found on the building that served as the former law offices of Miami’s first Black judge Lawson Thomas
“International Longshoreman Local 1416,” by artist Reginald O’Neal, represents contributions to Miami’s culture and economic development. Holifield said listeners can also scan the QR code and hear stories from local historians such as Marvin Dunn, whose father was a longshoreman.
“Part of what Dr. Dunn said in his oral history was that the longshoremen union rescued his family because it gave a stable, steady source of income at a higher level,” Holifield said, adding adult children of other longshoremen said it was essential in helping Black people reach middle class.
“Overtown Pitch Game Changers,” a mural done by painter Stefan Smith, depicts former soccer player Crystal Dunn and French footballer Kylian Mbappé. Holifield said an accompanying statement from local historian Dorothy Jenkins Fields is also included in the airport exhibit and centers Overtown’s history alongside the country’s 250th anniversary.
Holifield said showcasing Overtown’s history at the airport allows visitors to see the neighborhood beyond Miami’s footprint.
“A key goal is expanding public understanding from a historic neighborhood to a living, vibrant cultural force.”
