GREENSBORO, N.C. — The artist to paint a mural of civil rights pioneers, the Greensboro 6, has been selected. The concept for the mural was unveiled at Gillespie Golf Course on Monday, June 17.
In August 2023, leaders announced plans for a new mural to honor the Greensboro 6.
The Greensboro 6 was a team of Black golfers who helped integrate Gillespie Park in Greensboro.
In the 1950s, the golf course was segregated and only open to white players. As the Civil Rights Movement swept through the U.S., a group of Black men called the Greensboro 6 tee'd up to play in 1955, taking a defiant stand.
After the men paid 75 cents to play on the course, they were arrested and charged for trespassing mid-game. They spent 15 days in jail. The case eventually went to the U.S. Supreme Court, where justices ruled against the Greensboro 6, but the group kept fighting.
Their actions led to Gillespie's desegregation, and the Greater Greensboro Open (now the Wyndham Championship) became the first PGA TOUR event in the South to welcome a Black player.
Vincent Ballentine was selected from a pool of more than 50 artists nationwide to paint the historic mural. He is a Brooklyn-based visual artist whose work ranges from digital illustration and animation to large-scale murals and street art.
The early rendering shows the six golfers walking onto the green, the sun shining behind them.
“I think having them just identify as strong, identifying as dignified, brings a human aspect to things and makes it real,” said Ballentine. "I really am just happy that it was someone of the African American culture that was able to do this because I feel like if anybody gonna be able to speak to what the story is, it should be somebody that looks like them."
Greensboro 6 mural concept unveiled
“The Gillespie mural honors courageous men who overcame deep-rooted racial challenges to inspire incredible change. My hope is that the mural sparks meaningful conversations among younger generations about our history and the importance of inclusivity while establishing a permanent fixture paying homage to the Greensboro Six,” said Ballentine in a press release.