Local authorities are treating the offense — ruining the art with swastikas and slurs — as a hate crime
Last week, murals painted in tribute to MLB and Negro League legends Jackie Robinson and Minnie Miñoso were defaced by swastikas and racial slurs.
Miami PD got the initial reports of the crime on June 2. As reported on Friday to the Athletic, the incident is considered a hate crime and will be investigated thusly.
While authorities have covered the artwork until repairs can be made, swastikas were painted over the faces of both men, with two instances of the N-word added to the Robinson artwork.
The murals, part of Miami’s large and acclaimed trove of outdoor art, are located at Dorsey Park, part of the historically-Black Overtown neighborhood. The placement is not by accident, as several Negro League teams played there while barnstorming the country during the offseason.
Kyle Holbrook, who painted the stars in 2012 as part of the MLK Mural Project, will repair the artwork.
“This was an act of hate, but it will not define us,” Holbrook told the Athletic. “We will restore it — stronger, bolder, and with even more purpose. Black history is American history. And no spray paint can erase that truth.”
U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), whose district includes Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, released a statement in response to the crime on her web site last week:
I am outraged by the vile act of hatred committed in Historic Overtown, where a cherished mural honoring Jackie Robinson and other icons of Black history was defaced with racist offenses.
This act of vandalism is not only an attack on a piece of public art — it is an attack on the dignity, pride, and cultural heritage of the Overtown community and the countless individuals who have fought and continue to fight for racial justice.
We must treat this for what it is: a hate crime meant to instill fear and division. But we will not be intimidated. We will respond with unity, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and the preservation of our history.
Robinson and Miñoso are not only Hall-of-Famers but are the primary civil rights figures of 20th Century baseball, as Robinson integrated Major League Baseball and Miñoso, as a Black Latino, was regarded as the “Latin Jackie Robinson” for his pioneering role in the game.