By Aryka Randall, Contributing Writer
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been celebrated visually in many ways, but one of the most creative has been with carefully curated murals in San Diego. With the aid of the city of San Diego and various grants for creative endeavors, a number of local artists have been given the opportunity to immortalize MLK with artwork throughout the city.
EUCLID AVENUE OFF I-15 AND MLK JR. HWY
The most notable of these murals is the “Power to the People” visual located between Interstate 15 and Euclid Avenue off of Highway 94, also known as “MLK Jr. Hwy”. The mural was created by Phillip Matzigkeit in 2005 and spans almost 20 feet high and 225 feet long. The mural highlights MLK in three segments, one of them capturing his “I Have A Dream” speech.
The significance of the particular location of this mural is large as it comes after a history of controversy surrounding renaming California Highway 94 to MLK Jr Fwy. In Spring of 1986, the San Diego City Council voted against a name change for Highway 94. Instead they voted to change Market Street to Martin Luther King Way and a little over a year later, local voters pivoted on their decision in a referendum that restored the Market Street name. The city went back and forth deciding whether MLK should be honored with a statue in Balboa Park, by adding his name on the Convention Center, or by pushing to have the name of the Highway changed yet again.
Eventually, Assemblyman Pete Chacon and State Senator Wadie P. Deddeh pushed for the renaming of Highway 94 and the Legislature approved the request with the provision that private donations would be needed to pay for the new signage. It was then that The Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway Committee was formed to raise funds for these efforts.
BARRIO LOGAN
Two more of the notable murals dedicated to MLK in San Diego are located near Barrio Logan. One of them is on the corner of 32nd Street and Imperial Avenue and features a number of famous activists, including Martin Luther King Jr. The mural was originally created in 1986 and was restored in 2002 by well known artist Mario Torero who has completed a number of well known murals throughout San Diego. Torero took a grassroots approach to restoring the mural with the help of a GoFundMe campaign and a few local supporters and friends.
OCEAN VIEW BLVD AND 35TH STREET
The third mural highlighting Martin Luther King Jr. is located between the intersection of Ocean View Boulevard and 35th Street and was created by artist Rik Erickson who has also completed a number of murals in San Diego. His visual dedication to Martin Luther King Jr. was commissioned by the City of San Diego Graffiti Division.
NATIONAL CITY
As previously mentioned, artist Mario Terero is known for several of his murals throughout the city. His second mural of Martin Luther King Jr. can be found on one of four panels mounted on the exterior of the San Ysidro Health-South Bay Health Center located at 330 E. Eighth St. in National City. The vibrant colors and elevated surface of the panel give this particular mural extra flair which is perfect for its prime location. Terero completed the mural with the help of Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan which provided a $15,000 sponsorship to local nonprofit ‘A Reason To Survive’ to purchase supplies and commission an artist.
OAK PARK
The last and arguably most hidden mural of MLK in San Diego is located in Oak Park at Redwood and 54th street behind on the backside of a business. The mural was created by David Mena as a way to honor the late civil rights activist and to restore the building which had been vandalized several times in the past. The mural was completed in 2021 and has not been vandalized since its completion.
Remembering the contributions Martin Luther King Jr. made to society and the Civil Rights movement are important. Seeing him immortalized in the form of art in some of the most culture rich areas in San Diego is a nice reminder of how far equality has come with the help of great leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
