Carter G. Woodson School unveils hallway mural art project

After months of hard work and gallons and gallons of paint, last week the community was invited to see the unveiling of the hallway mural project at Carter G. Woodson School (CGWS). Throughout the summer current students and alumni worked with local artists Leo Rucker and Fredo Felix to turn the dull hallways into beaming pieces of art.

The mural project was funded by the Winston-Salem Arts Council and includes hand-painted portraits of the school’s founders and images of well-known people like Carter G. Woodson, Maya Angelou, Ruby Bridges, Nelson Mandela, Winston-Salem natives Josh Howard and Chris Paul, and several others.

During the unveiling ceremony, school director Ben Harris thanked Rucker, Felix, the Winston-Salem Arts Council, Rasheeda Shankle, who led the project, and others who made the idea of a mural come to life. 

Harris said he got the idea during a visit to Arusha, which is the capital of Tanzania and located in East Africa. According to Harris, at one of the centers they visited there was art on every wall. After running the idea by school founder Hazel Mack, they decided to do the same thing for the middle and high school students at CGWS. 

“This really started as a seed that was placed in my mind during a trip with students to Tanzania, while visiting a center in Arusha. And at that center controlled by a beautiful sister … the center had an art mural over every piece of wall,” Harris continued. “So serendipitously through Ms. Mack, I found Ms. Shankle who took this idea and was able to collectively put what we had in our minds a reality.

“I hope our students see themselves in the art and be inspired to achieve the greatest heights of academic success. We’re so thankful for everyone who participated in this project.” 

Carter G. Woodson is a public charter school that has been serving students in grades K-12 since 1997. The school offers free tuition and bus transportation to and from any neighborhood in the city. Rooted in tradition and evolving to remain competitive for the 21st century, CGWS provides an academic standard of excellence that differs from the traditional classroom. Along with the major core courses such as math and English, CGWS also offers courses in art, liberal arts, culture, agriculture, and sustainable living.

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