New mural honors 'hidden figures' of Garner's Black history

The hidden figures of Garner are hidden no more.

WRAL News was there the first day work got underway on a new mural to honor Black leaders from the town's history – and has followed the progress until today, returning to show the finished mural.

Garner Police helped prime the wall for the artist to paint her design inspired by the community.

Rolling along the rails or riding down Main Street, historic downtown Garner passes by in a red-bricked blur -- until a kaleidoscope of color catches the eye.

"I wanted the mural to pop off the brick," says artist Georgie Nakima, whose canvas covers the entire side of the building – a bit bigger than the murals she mischievously made as a kid, when she'd color on the walls with crayon and paint.

Nakima follows a sketch on her iPhone to create the composition.

"Once it feels balanced, then I’ll add color to it and give it more life," she says.

Each spritz of spray paint fills in the faces – five faces total, of 'hidden' figures from Garner's Black community.

"A kid could come by and look at the mural and say – who is that?" says Kentrell Perry, who came up with the idea.

The 'hidden figures' names are known to Perry, passed down in stories from parents and mentors.

"Helen Phillips, she was a community activist here in Garner," Perry says. "You have Jackie Johns. He was a town council member."

Longtime Garner High School football coach Thurman Leach looks out from the mural, as well.

"He was the example of what to strive for," says Perry.

And then there's Mal-saleka Perry.

"She’s actually the one who taught me everything," he says. "That’s my mother."

Her son bought the building that housed his mother's salon, on a block where Black entrepreneurship began in this town.

"Henry Fort was a former slave that owned the majority of this land you see on Main Street. He was the first Black business-owner here in Garner," says Perry, who hopes the mural reveals this important history to a new generation of Black leaders.

"They’ll know there was a community, there is a community, that cares about them, that cares about who they are," he says.

Nakima's finished mural gazes out at each face passing by, reflecting a palette of colors in this community.

"Whatever you see, it represents the future, the light," says Nakima. "The main face at the top is you."