MEMORIALIZE THE MOVEMENT (MTM)

Memorialize The Movement is a project dedicated to the preservation and accessibility of the plywood murals that were created in response to the murder of George Floyd and the protests that followed in the spring of 2020 in the Twin Cities. We hope to create a safe and inclusive space for people to reflect on the events that occurred here and ensure that we keep the conversations created by this movement going through this art.
 

Memorialize the Movement was started during a Minneapolis Global Shapers meeting when member Leesa Kelly was brainstorming how the group could contribute to the response following the tragic events of the George Floyd Murder last spring and the Minneapolis Uprising that followed. It took shape as a grassroots organization with the mission of collecting and preserving the plywood artwork that was being created in the wake of that difficult spring.

With the help and guidance of the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery (MAAHMG) and through our partnership with Save The Boards (STB), Memorialize The Movement's growing team of volunteers around the Twin Cities began to collect the plywood murals from businesses and artists in an effort to save as many of them as possible to be preserved and archived. Since July of 2020, they have collected over 700 boards which are now being stored in a climate-controlled storage space until they can establish a more permanent space. Their long-term plan for this art is to build a public memorial space so that this Black narrative is preserved and accessible to the public.

On May 21st through the 23rd of 2021, MTM, STB, and MAAHMG will be hosting a free outdoor exhibition in Phelps Field Park near the George Floyd Memorial Square. This will be an opportunity for the community to experience the stories being told through this art. The mourning of our loss, the acknowledgment of our failures and successes, and our hopes for the future and a more equitable Minneapolis. We hope that through this experience community members will have a chance to heal, reflect, and learn.

While preserving this artwork is a labor of love, it is work that requires resources to carry out this mission. We are currently raising money to put on the spring exhibition, but also for a large climate-controlled storage space for the murals and materials to preserve the paint and keep the wood from warping and/or splintering. We are working tirelessly with community organizations and leaders to find a permanent home for the art where they will be free and accessible to people.

The movement is here, and Minneapolis is the epicenter. We will not let this story be forgotten. 

To track our progress with this project follow us on Instagram at @memorializethemovement or visit our website at memorializethemovement.com.