Philadelphia (CBS) — The Martin Luther King Jr. mural at 40th Street and Lancaster Avenue in West Philadelphia may be in danger of being replaced. Full Court Development plans to purchase the land next to the mural and build a three-story mixed-use building. This ends up blocking the mural and upsetting some of the community.
This mural commemorates King’s visit to Philadelphia on August 3, 1965.
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Ten thousand people gathered at the 40th and Lancaster to hear the civil rights icon speak.
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Brian Jenkins, executive director of Chosen 300 Ministries, held a rally on Friday night to plead with developers to keep the King’s homage in the new building.
“We’re not trying to stop development, but we’re trying to stop you from taking our history,” Jenkins said. I got the chance to present something acceptable to the community in order to preserve the.It’s very simple.If you build a building there, take one side of the building and put the mural back.”
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Eyewitness News reached out to the developer for comment, but did not receive a response.