In the summer of 2020, Starlette Thomas often visited the intersection of 16th and H streets to protest police violence and racial injustice. That same location was the site of Black Lives Matter Plaza, where large yellow letters spelled out the movement’s name. On Monday, Thomas, a Bowie, Maryland resident, returned to the site to witness the removal of these letters and to honor the significance of this space.
“Holding onto a piece of this makes it feel like it’s not entirely gone,” Thomas expressed, as machinery removed the giant letters from the street. It was, she said, more than just brick and mortar; it was a symbol of resistance.
The large painted words of “Black Lives Matter,” located just a block away from the White House, are being replaced as part of a city project spurred by pressure from Republicans in Congress. The removal process, which began on Monday, is expected to last about six weeks and will result in a different set of city-sponsored murals.
Originally painted as a bold statement against Donald Trump’s administration during his first term, the removal of the mural serves as an indication of the District of Columbia’s current vulnerability. With Trump back in office and Congress under Republican control, D.C.’s autonomy faces new challenges.
In June 2020, Democratic D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser commissioned the painting and named the area Black Lives Matter Plaza in response to the George Floyd protests. Following the murder of Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, protests erupted and Mayor Bowser clashed with Trump over her response. Now, her influence over D.C.’s limited self-governance is eroding.
Last week, the Mayor shared on social media, “The mural inspired millions and supported our city through turbulent times. But now, we face more pressing issues, such as the impact of federal job cuts.”
Megan Bailiff, CEO of Equus Striping, the company that initially painted the bold letters, was present as the removal began. Describing the dismantling as “historically obscene,” she emphasized that the significance of Black Lives Matter Plaza is more crucial “at this very moment than it ever has been.”
The shift was applauded by far-right circles online, with conservative activist Charlie Kirk visiting the plaza, seeing it as a victory against what he terms as ‘mass race hysteria.’
During Trump’s current administration, Mayor Bowser has strived for cooperation, sidestepping conflicts and highlighting areas of agreement with the president. After the election, she visited Trump in Mar-a-Lago and has since often prioritized dialogue.
Trump recently resurrected campaign rhetoric about the need for federal oversight of Washington, describing the city as plagued by crime and homelessness. Bowser has not commented on reports of a planned executive order from the White House targeting D.C., but she has stated publicly that Congressional interference is a primary threat to the capital’s autonomy.
Congressional Republicans have long sought to meddle in D.C.’s governance. A pending bill, the BOWSER Act, aims to revoke the Home Rule Act of 1973, which grants the city limited self-governance.
