A ribbon cutting and business opening celebration was held Friday, May 26, 2023 at 11:00 am for the newest Golden Blocks mural, “Women of Empowerment”, located at 1119 James Brown Boulevard, the recently renovated space now home to The Lucky Spot, neighborhood corner store.

Guest speakers included Mayor Garnett Johnson, Senator Charles W. Walker, Commissioners Jordan Johnson and Francine Scott, Interim Administrator Takiyah Douse, RCBOE Board Member Shawnda Griffin, Housing & Community Development Director Hawthorne Welcher, Jr., Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History Executive Director Corey Rogers, Greater Augusta Arts Council Project Manager Pax Bobrow, and Mural Artist Salonika Rhyne.

The Golden Blocks project highlights the rich cultural legacy of the historically Black neighborhoods of Laney Walker and Bethlehem, in public spaces, inviting lifelong residents, newcomers, and visitors to enjoy the revitalization of the area while celebrating its past. It is an ongoing collaboration between the Greater Augusta Arts Council, the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, and Augusta Housing & Community Development (AHCD), with this mural made possible through support by the Walker Group, which owns the building where the mural is located. This project is funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

As part of this project, local muralist Salonika Rhyne was commissioned through a competitive call for art to create a mural, titled “Women of Empowerment”, celebrating six women leaders in education in the historic Golden Blocks of Augusta. These include Ursula E. Collins, Rosa C. Tutt, Marjorie B. Carter, Margaret L. Laney, Rosa T. Beard, and Ruth B. Crawford.

The Arts Council would like to thank all attendees who showed their support at this event as well as our speakers, sponsors, and partners. If you see yourself pictured and would like to be listed in the caption, please email [email protected]