HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – The first mural in Harrisonburg’s Northeast Neighborhood will be unveiled Sunday afternoon by the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project at the nonprofit’s upcoming community mural painting and fall festival.

The new mural focuses on the history of Harrisonburg’s Newtown neighborhood in the northeast and its importance to the African American community in the Friendly City.

“Our contribution is to offer a mural that tells some of that history as you enter and leave the Northeast Neighborhood,” Monica Robinson, executive director of the SVBHP, said.

Community members will be able to place the finishing touches on the mural, located between the Newtown Cemetery and the SVBHP office, at Sunday’s festival.

“We are the first organization to do a mural on African American history in our primarily African American section of town,” Robinson said. “We are so very proud of that fact.”

The SVBHP Fall Festival is scheduled for this Sunday, Oct. 26, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will be held at the SVBHP office at 425 Hill St. in Harrisonburg.

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