New mural bringing history to life in east Jackson

JACKSON, Tenn. — Thanks to City of Jackson’s Love Your Block grant, another mural is present for residents to look at and remember the history of the city.

Artist Juan Barroso said that he has dedicated 150 hours so far into the mural located on the Jackson Area Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency’s building facing East Chester Street.

He says that he is excited that there are grants that appreciate the arts.

The mural features Gil Scott-Heron, Carl Perkins, Bishop Isaac Lane and Shirlene Mercer.

Barroso says that he still plans to add Lane College’s building, as well as Austin Merry to the mural.

“To have it be public and this big, I’ve been getting a lot of support from people passing by,” Barroso said. “Some of the family members of these have stopped by. The daughter and the husband of Shirlene Mercer stopped by and shook my hand, and that was awesome. I was a little nervous but that was nice.”

Barroso says he hopes for the mural to be completed by the end of July.

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