RICHMOND, Va. — A new piece of artwork is hanging along the first-floor marble wall inside Richmond City Hall.
"It's a banner that consists of 69 works of art by a father and son," Jeromyah Jones said about the art that honors Black History Month.
Jeromyah and his father, Jerome, have both been painting since they were toddlers.
“I did a mural in his room before he was born, so he was surrounded by art," Jerome noted.
"That's my art coach," laughed Jeromyah.
Together, the two came up with “I Am 400” back in 2019, creating a banner that commemorates 400 years of African American history.
"One of my things that I love to do is honor people who have been an inspiration to me, so the 'I Am 400' banner is an example of that," explained Jerome.
On the colorful work that was also recently installed in VCU Health’s Gateway Building, you’ll find several famous Black men and women, some who worked at NASA and others who served as surgeons, attorneys, and painters.
"Many of the people that have contributed not just to the United States, but the world," said Jerome.
But you’ll also notice brushstrokes that explore the suffering many other African Americans endured on their journeys to success.
"This banner just scratches the surface, but we thought it'd be a creative way to share all over the world the great things that our people have contributed that can help to do away with the negative stereotypes and the negative images and the things people have taught about us that are not true," said Jerome.
This Black History Month, the Jones' vibrant work is also on display inside the Petersburg Public Library.
The exhibit includes 30 paintings, many of which showcase Black men who broke barriers in Central Virginia, including basketball great Frank Mason III, Buffalo Soldier historian Roy Moore Jr., and Charles Sherrod, who was one of the Richmond 34.
"A lot of people don't know our history, and it's important to present the art history in a way that they can receive it," explained Jerome.
This Black History Month, the Jones are hopeful we can look back on how far Richmond and the world have come.
"You know this city right here, which was the former capital of the Confederacy, when we think about just how this represented, this was like the epicenter of the oppression, I think it's also a blessing to actually come around full circle to be able to install this in this space in the center of Richmond, Virginia," said Jeromyah. "I think it's just awesome."
They want to educate and remind people that the achievements of Black Americans should be a topic of discussion all year.
Over the years, the Joneses have had the chance to meet many of the famous men and women they’ve painted, including Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, and most recently, Bernice King, the youngest child of Martin Luther King Jr.
If you’d like to check out the "I Am 400" banner, you can view it at Richmond City Hall, as well as at the Richmond Main Library, East End Library, Northside Library, and Fairfield Area Library.
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