Nelson Stevens was a visionary artist, educator, and founding member of AfriCOBRA (the African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists), a collective formed in Chicago in 1968 dedicated to creating a Black aesthetic that empowered the African-American community. Through bold, vibrant works, Stevens and AfriCOBRA sought to reflect the beauty and pride of Blackness back to the viewer. After earning degrees from The Ohio University and Kent State University, Stevens joined the faculty at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1972, where he taught until 2003. During the 1970s and 80s, he created a mural initiative in Springfield, Massachusetts, producing over 30 vibrant public artworks with his students.
Stevens’ work celebrated the dignity, power, and beauty of Black life and was featured in prominent institutions like the BROAD in Los Angeles, the African American Museum in Philadelphia, the Portland Art Museum, and many others. His works were also featured abroad at the Tate Modern in London, the Venice Biennale, and at FESTAC in Lagos, Nigeria. His art remains part of several major museum collections including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Following his passing in July 2022, the Nelson Stevens Legacy Project was established to preserve and extend his impact through exhibitions, public art, and education, inspiring a new generation of artists of color to continue his mission of cultural uplift through art.
In the early 1970s, influential artist and University of Massachusetts professor Nelson Stevens (1938-2022) initiated a transformative public art project that resulted in the creation of over 30 indoor and outdoor murals throughout the city of Springfield, Massachusetts. Inspired by the ethos of the Black Arts Movement and grassroots community murals like the Wall of Respect (1967) in Chicago, the murals honored the communities in which they were painted. In addition to beautifying the city, the murals functioned as gathering spots for neighbors to congregate, outdoor galleries, and backdrops for artists to activate. At a time when popular culture included few positive depictions of African Americans, the murals were sites where Black people could see themselves and their history portrayed with dignity, pride, and respect.
This community archive is a work in progress that aims to document the important murals created by Nelson Stevens and his students. The archive focuses on murals created in Springfield between 1973 and 1977, many of which were located in the McKnight-Hill District and Mason Square, as well as the Bay neighborhood in Springfield. Although very few of these murals survive today, the cultural legacy of this incredible endeavor lives on through programs like the Community Mural Institute and continues to inspire new generations of artists to see themselves as agents of change in their communities.
We invite you to add to this community archive by sharing stories, photographs, and memories. Through community support, this interactive map can become a more complete resource for artists, researchers, and community members.