Form and Power: Black Murals in Los Angeles

Learning

Charles Freeman’s Learning highlights the importance of education in the Black community as it depicts children of different ages at school, practicing karate, and learning how to socialize and grow in the world. The mural acts as a magnifying glass as Freeman sought to depict the growth and development of not only African American youth but all children attending the Sheenway School and Culture Center, which is where the mural is located. This hub of learning and culture became a source of pride in the community as Dr. Herbert Sheen, the founder of the Center, understood that the only “hope for [the] community rested upon effective education, self-reliance, dignity, and respect for our multicultural society”.

Freeman, who was one of the original Black Panthers alongside Fred Hampton, believed passionately in unity across cultures and in the power of education. Freeman’s mural aligns well with the ubiquitous presence of prideful messages regarding education, culture, and technology in African American murals and other art forms. There are two other paintings by Freeman inside the school, including one of Malcolm X. The Sheenway School and Culture Center is still functioning well today and is celebrating 50 years in 2021.

Written by Immanuel Mitchell c/o ‘24

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