In celebration of Juneteenth, a new mural honoring Black country music artists was unveiled on June 19 at the site of the former Vanderbilt Printing Services building. The mural, created by local artist Elisheba Israel Mrozik, draws inspiration from stories and history featured in Vanderbilt professor and award-winning songwriter Alice Randall’s latest book, My Black Country.
Hosted by Vanderbilt’s Division of Government and Community Relations, attendees gathered at 625 Chestnut Street to witness the unveiling prior to the kickoff of the Juneteenth615 celebration across the street at Fort Negley.
The mural, titled First Family of Black Country, is the result of a collaboration between Vanderbilt, Randall and Mrozik. It honors the legacies of DeFord Bailey, Lil Hardin, Ray Charles, Herb Jeffries and Charley Pride—pioneering figures in the evolution of country music. The mural is located in the historic Edgehill neighborhood, where Bailey was a long-time resident.
Metro Nashville District 17 Council Member Terry Vo, country music artist Carlos DeFord Bailey, and Vanderbilt Vice Chancellor Nathan Green spoke about the significance of the mural. Both Mrozik and Randall, professor and writer-in-residence in African American and diaspora studies at Vanderbilt, also shared their insights and reflections on the project.
“When I first saw the mural I was amazed at how beautiful it is, and I was proud to see my grandfather’s face. It was an honor to perform in front of the mural and I can’t wait to do it again,” said Carlos Deford Bailey.
“Public art has two very important roles: to sustain public memory and to invite future inquiry,” Randall said. “It just doesn’t look back. It looks back to move forward.”
Vanderbilt marked the occasion by distributing free copies of My Black Country to attendees. Vanderbilt Special Collections were also on-site with facsimiles from the Vanderbilt Heard Libraries’ archival collections, providing a look into the historical contributions of Black communities to music, history and culture.
"Juneteenth celebrates good news at long last. This mural celebrates the very good and very Nashville news that African Americans have played crucial and essential roles in the development of country music," said Randall. "This city is rich in murals and other public art. This is the first piece of public art to honor and commemorate the first family of Black country: DeFord Bailey, Lil Hardin, Ray Charles, Herb Jeffries and Charley Pride. Every artist working in country today owes a debt to these five geniuses."
The Juneteenth event underscored the powerful influence of Black artists on the origins of country music. As the genre undergoes a renaissance with a new wave of Black artists achieving success, the First Family of Black Country mural and Juneteenth celebration served as an exciting introduction for a new generation of listeners and a cherished gift to Nashville.
The mural currently adorns the former Vanderbilt Printing Services building on Chestnut Street in the historic Edgehill neighborhood, serving as a testament to the enduring legacy and contributions of Black artists to country music. Later this summer, Vanderbilt Government and Community Relations will partner with Mrozik to develop an additional community mural project, accompanied by educational programming for youth in the Edgehill neighborhood.