Under a fall blue sky filled with sunshine and crisp morning air, community members of all ages applauded and cheered with pride this past Saturday as a stunning new mural honoring Sun Village’s unique African American heritage and achievements was revealed for the first time.
Measuring 44 feet wide and 11 feet tall, the tile mosaic is now permanently installed on the Jackie Robinson Park gymnasium wall. Titled “The Light of Many Suns,” the mural was created through a collaboration between artist April Banks, Kounkey Design Initiative, Clockshop, and Los Angeles County’s Department of Parks and Recreation.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger contributed a $250,000 commission from Los Angeles County’s Fifth Supervisorial District to fund the magnificent mosaic, which was inspired by Sun Village oral histories and archives.
Over the past year, community meetings were held with Sun Village elders and younger generations of residents. Artist April Banks conducted a series of presentations on her concept renderings and worked with Clockshop and Kounkey Design Initiative to gather feedback that ultimately informed the mural’s design and content.
“This beautiful mural is a fitting tribute to the rich history and vibrant community in Sun Village,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “It was created in close collaboration with local residents, so this artwork has a lot of meaning and will be a source of inspiration, beauty, and education for future generations of Antelope Valley residents. It will undoubtedly help them celebrate and learn about the people and places that make Sun Village such a special place to live, work, and play.”
Jackie Robinson’s grandson, Aaron Bolden, attended the ceremony at the park named after the American baseball legend who broke color lines and became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. He joined Supervisor Barger in signing a poster commemorating attendees at the unveiling.
The mosaic’s unveiling was also attended by scores of community leaders and residents, ranging from elementary schoolers to nonagenarians. The mood was both celebratory and nostalgic.
The Sun Village community was formed by generations of African American families who, in the first half of the 20th century, determinedly carved out a home in the high desert, far away from the discriminatory housing practices and laws prevalent in neighboring cities. This fearless community–led by The Civic Women’s Club of Sun Village–built churches, educational institutions, gas lines, sewers, and wells, and established the historic landmark Jackie Robinson Park as a recreational green space for all.
“When African Americans began moving to Sun Village in the 1950s, the area lacked even basic infrastructure”, said Norma E. García-González, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. “Residents paved streets, installed streetlights and gas lines, and built the park themselves. The Women’s Club of Sun Village organized bake sales and other fundraisers to purchase most of the land for the park, and then donated the land to LA County Parks. The park quickly became a hub for a thriving African American community for decades. We wanted to celebrate not only Jackie Robinson, but the inspiring history of these women and the Sun Village community.”
The mural celebrates the women of The Civic Women’s Club of Sun Village and their determination and effort to make Jackie Robinson an official park. Legacy events and experiences integral to Sun Village’s identity and history are also depicted in smaller mosaic medallions. For more information regarding The Light of Many Suns project, visit clockshop.org/project/jackie-robinson-park.
Jackie Robinson park is located at 8773 E Avenue R, Sun Village, CA 93543.