OCEAN CITY, Md. - African-American heritage is being honored in Ocean City with a new mural. The Henry Hotel is the latest recipient of a mural from the Beach to Bay Heritage Area, following Berlin, Salisbury, and Crisfield.
As the nonprofit says its goal is to preserve, promote, and protect cultural heritage, Lisa Challenger, the executive Director of the beach to Bay Heritage area, tells WBOC the Henry Hotel aligns with their mission and is a chance to educate people on the history in downtown Ocean City.
“We really wanted to be able to share the story of the Henry Hotel. It’s in a real prime real estate location and people drive by it every day," said Challenger.
The Henry hotel was built in the late 1800s and housed African-American visitors to Ocean City, including people who worked in the service industry and performers. Jay Coleman, the artist behind the mural, says Duke Ellington even walked through the doors of the Henry Hotel.
“Of course there's speculation about if he actually played here or not, but he’s more representative of an era,” said Coleman.
The current state of the building prohibits a mural from being placed on its side. A standalone mural was created so the piece of art could be made for the Henry Hotel. Coleman created most of the mural at his studio in Maryland. He was then able to drape and adhere the fabric to the newly made wall. The mural was honored with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday morning in Ocean City.
As the African-American Heritage Project comes to a close, the Beach to Bay Heritage area will be moving on with their next project, a Native American Heritage Project. This is in collaboration with the Pocomoke Indian Nation.