A beloved mural in Historic Overtown honoring baseball legend Jackie Robinson and other Black History makers was defaced with racist slurs, igniting a wave of outrage throughout the community and prompting an immediate call to action from local leaders.
The vandalism was discovered on the by a resident who identified herself as Kiki Floyd. She told Hy-Lo News that she was leaving her parents’ home in Overtown when her son, Brayden Floyd, spotted the hateful graffiti spray-painted across Robinson’s face. She snapped a photo and began circulating it among residents. The disturbing image shows the words “F*** N****R” defacing the mural, which sits on a wall at Dorsey Park — a historic Black space in the heart of the neighborhood.
“This is the level of disrespect happening in our communities,” community advocate Rashad D. Thomas posted on Facebook. “The preservation of our history and heroes matters, and we will not tolerate this level of disrespect.”
Thomas, alongside other community leaders including Ed Ponder, Metris Batts, and Anthony Robinson, is organizing a press conference today, June 3, at 10:30 a.m. at Dorsey Park to address the incident and demand accountability.
Residents are calling on city officials, law enforcement, and media outlets to treat this act of racial hatred with the seriousness it deserves. The mural, which celebrates the legacy of Jackie Robinson — the first African American to play Major League Baseball — stands as a symbol of Black excellence and resistance. The defacement of his image is not just an act of vandalism; it’s an attack on Black history and the pride of a community that continues to fight for justice and visibility.
Hy-Lo News will be covering this story closely and providing updates as the community responds to this hateful act.
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