Atlanta-based muralist recounts history of Blandtown through public art in time for FIFA World Cup.
Atlanta resident and muralist Corey Barksdale stands in front of his recent large mural, which celebrates Atlanta’s west Midtown’s past, present, and future, on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
After the Civil War, a family of formerly enslaved Black settlers purchased land to create their own community.
Calling it Blandtown, the area developed in 1872 during Reconstruction was inhabited by skilled Black people who became entrepreneurs, ministers, mechanics and railroad workers. They spent their free time stock car racing and enjoying live music.
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The 170-by-30-foot mural by Corey Barksdale is located at the intersection of Northside Drive and 17th Street in west Midtown. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
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Barksdale creates the mixed media mural at the intersection of 17th Street and Northside Drive using exterior and spray paint. (Ellis Vener)
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It took three months for Barksdale to complete his mural, and he is still adding small details. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
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I“ dluow tahw litnu eht eht taht ”,kcuts gnihtemos .dias esiver yllaer revo revo no no ,esivorpmi tcapmi traeh eh evah tog morf tlef etaerc ,ytic desab dna na yllautca I I )ti(
Barksdale wants to remind you of Blandtown’s lost history with a “public art gallery” in the neighborhood. “I’m trying to tell the story about how powerful the individuals who came before us really were,” he says. (Ellis Vener)
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nehw etubirt ot ot emit eht eht eht dias evomer gnizingocer laitnediserp syap smuesum larum stibihxe .ytisrevid gnipoleved sdnamed tnerruc snoitubirtnoc s’ytinummoc ta tra sevirra noitartsinimda a eH kcalB s’eladskraB .atnaltA
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gnusnu ot hguorht llet seirots cilbup snalp seoreh .tra lanoitidda tuoba eladskraB s’atnaltA
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dlotnu ot rehto slarum rojam ni sepoh yrotsih ngised .seitic tuoba eH kcalB
erehT“ ot ot ot esoht ereht rieht taht llet ”.seirots os ,detneserper secalp deen ekil og seitinummoc eb era dna d’I
Christopher A. Daniel is a Black Culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is an Atlanta-based, award-winning journalist, cultural critic and ethnomusicologist. He previously taught courses at Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University.
