Oakland Mural Celebrates The Women Of Black Panther Party
Planned Mural Layout for Jilchristina Vest’s house. (Blueprint by Jilchristina Vest)
Jilchristina Vest bought her home over twenty years ago, specifically because of where the house is located. It’s in West Oakland, where The Black Panther Party (BPP) began in 1966. On Feb. 14, 2021, the same day she bought the house in 2000, Vest will unveil a mural entitled, “#SayHerName Movement and The Women of The Black Panther Party” on the outside walls to commemorate the women apart of the movement and the BPP.
“This feels exactly like what this house was meant to do,” Vest said. “be the home of a mural that will honor women who have never ever been honored before.”
After the murder of George Floyd sparked nationwide outrage, Vest noticed that the story of Breonna Taylor’s murder, which happened three months prior, did not get nearly as much visibility. At the same time, she started to see murals of them both throughout Oakland, but she knew many of those murals would not last.
Jilchristina Vest. (Picture by Jilchristina Vest)
“I wanted to do something to support the revolution and donating money was no longer making me feel active, and I didn’t want to take to the streets. I did that for the few first decades of my life.” Vest said. “So I thought I could create a mural on my house and dedicate it to the #SayHerName movement, which still to this day needs to be shouted from the rooftops.”
Vest also felt a spiritual and political connection to the BBP. Because of this, the mural will be a dedication to the women of the BPP.
The mural will be inspired by photography by Stephen Shames taken of the BPP in the late 60s. It will also include a quote from Sandra Bland, who’s murder gave birth to the #SayHerName Movement, on the back of the house.
“The idea is that Black women and Black girls…will be able to see themselves reflected in this mural. You’re going to be looking at an image of a Black woman who was a warrior. Black women that could be your auntie, your neighbor, your grandmother, you,” Vest said.
73-year-old Cheryl Dawson joined the party’s Berkeley Chapter in 1970 because she felt she had a duty to protect her community. Dawson said working for the party was an all-day affair. She worked in the breakfast program, sold newspapers, did routine check-ups on the elderly community members and took political classes with The Party at night, all while raising a daughter and under the surveillance of the FBI.
“I wanted then what I want now, which is for our people not only to survive but to overcome, so that’s why I [joined the party], and I’ve never regretted it, ever,” Dawson said.
At its peak, the BBP was made up of over 60 percent women, but women rarely held positions in leadership. So when Dawson heard that the mural would focus specifically on the contributions of women in the party, she was elated.
Jilchristina Vest’s house before the mural. (Picture by Jilchristina Vest)
“Black women are always invisible and we’re never seen, so when I spoke to Jil and she told me what she was doing I thought, ‘Oh my god, someone will see us?’,” Dawson said. “Somebody might be inspired by our work, a bunch of poor Black girls doing the best we could for our people. I told her, ‘If you can use our work to teach our children, then please do.’”
Vest believes one of the most important takeaways from the BBP is the initiative members took to provide resources to their communities through the over 60 Survival Programs.
As Confederate monuments continue to be removed across the country and world, Vest talked about how important it is for Black people to create our own monuments.
“This is a dedication to who we are, what we can do, what we have done to fight for our own freedom and believe in our own liberation. It’s not a mural that memorializes what has been done to us. I want this mural to be about Black joy and Black warriors and Black resilience,” Vest said.
What started as a small project costing less than $10,000 has grown into a massive project over 2000 sq.ft. and covering half of Vest’s house and costing over $100,000. With 10 artists, 5 documentarians, and lots and lots of paint, the mural team is still collecting donations to fund the project.
To learn more, click here.