Honoring A Community Through Art
DAC’s facilities have proudly been located in West Rehoboth since 2016. For the last few years, efforts have been underway to preserve West Rehoboth’s largely unknown Black, brown, and African American history.
The DAC commissioned a large historical mural in partnership with West Side New Beginnings. The Mural was unveiled in 2022 with a public dedication held on the corner of Malloy St. and Central Avenue in West Rehoboth, where the Mural is located.
The West Rehoboth Legacy Mural depicts the rich history of the community and was painted by Nationally renowned artist Terrance Vann, who also has a long lineage of family roots in the community.
Continuing The Legacy.
Over the last year, the DAC has worked closely with West Side New Beginnings Inc., volunteer community members, and family members of West Rehoboth’s descendants to develop a mounted infographic that references historical information to accompany the mural.
The West Rehoboth Legacy Mural has created momentum for celebrating Rehoboth Beach’s Black, Brown, and African American culture and educating the local community about its rich history.
Accident Overview & Community Progress
On Wednesday, June 12th, 2024, a vehicle struck the West Rehoboth Legacy Mural, causing a section of the western-facing wall to collapse. Thankfully, the driver was not injured, and after an investigation by the Delaware State Police, this has been determined as an unfortunate accident.
In the wake of the accident, the community of West Rehoboth demonstrated remarkable resilience. On Wednesday, June 19, 2024, a community-wide Juneteenth Celebration was held, with a record attendance, showcasing the community's strength and unity. The Henlopen Station Condominium HOA Board has since rebuilt the wall section, a testament to the community's determination to restore what was lost.
Next Steps & Project Scope
Terrance Vann will return to repaint this wall section in September 2024. The content will be replicated from the original artwork. DAC will prime the wall, which requires three coats of paint to cover the concrete brick.
After Terrance has finished the new mural, DAC will professionally coat the wall with Mural Shield to ensure longevity. After completion, content will be captured during the painting process to share with the community.
Beyond the restoration of the wall, the West Rehoboth Legacy Committee (a committee of DAC, West Rehoboth families, and general community member volunteers under the West Side New Beginnings Inc.) has advised us on how best to use additional funding opportunities at this time.
Having a dedicated webpage updated with the historical information conveyed on the mural and physically printed booklets with the infographic information for people to take with them upon visiting the mural is a priority for any additional funds raised. This also includes a small bike rack and using recycled painted bricks from the original mural as pavers around the current infographics sign to encourage people to stop and view the mural.
Given the outpouring of community support for this project, the DAC will use any additional funds raised beyond the budget as restricted funds to maintain the mural in the coming years.
This project would not be possible without the support of West Side New Beginnings, Sussex County Council, Delaware Community Foundation and the Henlopen Station Condominium Association.
A huge thank you to Southern Delaware Food, Music, and Wine Festival and Festival of Cheer for financially supporting this project with generous grants in 2021!
This project was also made possible with the support of hundreds of individual donors and dedicated volunteers.