Jackie Robinson, Minnie Miñoso murals defaced with racial slurs and swastikas in Miami
Murals honoring groundbreaking MLB Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson and Minnie Miñoso were defaced with racial slurs and swastikas in Miami this week.
The Miami Police Department was notified of the crime on Monday and the department's special investigations unit is investigating the incident as a hate crime, an officer told The Athletic on Friday.
Advertisement
The graffiti consists of swastikas painted on both men's face, with the N-word also used twice on Robinson. The murals, which are located at Dorsey Park of Miami's historically black Overtown neighborhood, have since been covered up with wooden boards.
Dorsey Park played host to several barnstorming Negro League teams in the 20th century. The artist behind the murals promised to restore them in a statement to The Athletic:
'This was an act of hate, but it will not define us,' said Kyle Holbrook, the artist who painted the mural in 2012 as part of the MLK Mural Project in partnership with local artists. 'This mural was born from a community's pride, history, and power. 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, denounced the "vile act of hatred" in a statement Wednesday:
'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 both occupy pioneering roles in not just MLB history, but in the fight for civil rights. Robinson broke baseball's color with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, while Miñoso was the first Afro-Latino player in MLB and the first Black player in the history of the Chicago White Sox.
Both men played in the Negro Leagues. Miñoso died in 2015 and was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Giants' Justin Verlander's brother downplays Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani's $240M distraction
Giants' Justin Verlander's brother downplays Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani's $240M distraction originally appeared on The Sporting News The Los Angeles Dodgers haven't been playing particularly well lately, including suffering a mid-week sweep at the hands of the Angels. In fact, the Dodgers lost every game they played against the Angels this season. During the series, former Angel Shohei Ohtani found himself on the wrong side of history. 'According to Baseball Almanac's tracker of every triple play in MLB history, it marked just the eighth the Angels have ever turned. As for the Dodgers, they have now fallen victim to 24 triple plays. There had never been a triple play in the 152 games between the Dodgers and Angels since the Freeway Series began in 1997,' SI's Sam Connon wrote. Off the field, Ohtani is facing growing distractions, including an ongoing lawsuit. 'A Hawaii real estate investor and broker are suing Shohei Ohtani, claiming the Los Angeles Dodgers star and his agent got them fired from a $240 million luxury housing development on the Big Island's coveted Hapuna Coast that they brought him in to endorse,' The Associated Press's Jimmy Golen wrote. 'According to the lawsuit filed in Hawaii Circuit Court on Friday, Ohtani's agent, Nez Balelo, increasingly demanded concessions from developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto before demanding that their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, drop them from the deal.' While the situation is unfolding off the field, MLB analyst and Justin Verlander's brother, Ben Verlander, has attempted to downplay its significance. 'In a since-deleted tweet, Verlander dismissed the $240 million legal fight by telling fans, 'Let's all remember to not just get mad because you see his name attached to something. If his name wasn't Shohei Ohtani we wouldn't even know about this,'' Alvin Garcia wrote. 'He added, 'Never seen so many people care about CIVIL lawsuits regarding real estate.'' Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp Verlander has certainly minimized the seriousness of the ongoing situation, which could escalate quickly. The Dodgers have done well to keep the matter from becoming a clubhouse distraction. However, Verlander's public comments aren't a good look. Ohtani will continue to play, but if the lawsuit doesn't go well, Verlander's dismissive remarks may come back to haunt him for a long time.
UPI
44 minutes ago
- UPI
On This Day, Aug. 17: Turkish earthquake kills thousands
1 of 5 | On August 17, 1999, an earthquake in a densely populated region of northwestern Turkey killed at least 17,000 people and injured about 40,000. UPI File Photo | License Photo Aug. 17 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1807, Robert Fulton began the first American steamboat trip between Albany, N.Y., and New York City. In 1915, a hurricane struck Galveston, Texas, killing 275 people. In 1946, George Orwell publishes Animal Farm. In 1969, the Woodstock music festival ended after three days on a 600-acre farm in Bethel, N.Y. In 1978, Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and Larry Newman completed the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by balloon, landing their helium-filled Double Eagle II near Paris. In 1987, Rudolf Hess, Hitler's former deputy, was found strangled in Berlin's Spandau Prison. He was 93. In 1996, the Reform Party nominated Texas businessman Ross Perot for president. He would go on to lose the 1996 general election with 18.9 percent of the popular vote and zero electoral votes. President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, won with 43 percent of the popular vote and 370 electoral votes. Republican George H.W. Bush lost his re-election bid with 37.4 percent of the popular vote and 168 electoral votes. File Photo by Chip Somodevilla/UPI In 1998, addressing the American people, U.S. President Bill Clinton said he had a relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky that was "not appropriate." In 1999, an earthquake in a densely populated region of northwestern Turkey killed at least 17,000 people and injured about 40,000. In 2017, a man drove a van into a group of pedestrians in Barcelona, Spain, killing 14 people and injuring another 130 people. The driver killed a 15th person in a carjacking while fleeing the scene. In a related attack hours later, a group of terrorists drove into more civilians, killing a 16th person. All told, eight attackers were also killed. In 2019, an explosion at a Kabul, Afghanistan, wedding hall killed at least 63 people. The Islamic State claimed responsibility. File Photo by Jawad Jalali/EPA-EFE
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
MLB-best Brewers rally again, set franchise single-season record for consecutive victories with 14
CINCINNATI — The Milwaukee Brewers set a single-season franchise record with their 14th straight victory Saturday. And, in keeping with recent form, it wasn't easy. The major league-leading Brewers rallied for the second straight game and beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 in 11 innings. This Milwaukee club set a new benchmark — so far — for consecutive victories, surpassing the 1987 team that opened that season by winning its first 13 games.
