Windsor’s Culture department is looking for feedback on a series of Sandwich Town murals. The 16 murals honouring significant black leaders in our community were originally exhibited along the exterior wall of a grocery store on Sandwich Street. That grocery store has since been sold and the murals were removed and placed in storage for safekeeping.

The mural consists of images honouring 16 significant Black leaders including:

Mister Dungy, Reverend “spiritual” leader
Henry Bibb, founder of the anti-slavery paper, Voice of the Fugitive, 1851-53
Mary Shadd, opened school for black children in 1840
Issac Riley, first settler to purchase property in 1848
Elijah McCoy, created over 50 inventions
Alton Parker, first African Canadian Police Detective, 1924-1943
Samuel Ward, first editor of newspaper Provincial Freedom
Annie Hyatt, owned and operated Hyatt Green House
Edward Henderson, RCAP WWII 1924-1943
Fred Thomas, athlete 1923-1981
Howard Watkins, second African Canadian Police Detective, 1927-1968
Delios Davis, first African Canadian Lawyer in 1885
Abraham Shadd, Abolitionist
Melvin Simpson, founder of the North American Black History Museum
Henry Taylor, 1888-1975—31 years on the Windsor Board of Education
Walter Perry, organized Emancipation Events

The City of Windsor is looking for the community’s feedback on how to proceed. Visit Sandwich Murals Survey to have your say. This survey will be available for comments until February 11, 2019.

Additionally, two open houses will also be held: Wednesday, January 23 from 5 to 7 pm and Saturday, February 2 from 10 am to noon. Both open houses will take place at Mackenzie Hall Cultural Centre, 3277 Sandwich Street. The city also invites feedback at culturalaffairs@citywindsor.ca.For more information on Culture or other City departments initiatives, visit the City of Windsor website at citywindsor.ca.