Red, white and blue will forever be the colors we associate with the Fourth of July.
But Independence Day 2020 in Alabama is coming with some other vibrant and vital hues.
Artists and everyday residents throughout the state have united to acknowledge in new ways the Black Lives Matter movement and the need for greater social justice for African Americans.
From Huntsville to Mobile, the expressions of unity are not only capturing attention, they’re documenting a change.
In her Fourth of July holiday message to the state, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said “a conversation about race brings with it the opportunity where even friends can disagree on solutions; it also can be a catalyst to help total strangers find common ground and see things eye to eye with someone they previously did not even know.”
That conversation continues in Alabama and across the country. It’s a more colorful one this Independence Day.
The street art in Mobile demonstrates the unity many are showing, both in the creation and in the message. (Mike Kittrell / Alabama News Center)
Artist Michelle Browder created the Black Lives Matter mural around the Court Square fountain in Montgomery. The fountain is the site of a former slave auction. (Meg McKinney / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
The street art in Mobile demonstrates the unity many are showing, both in the creation and in the message. (Mike Kittrell / Alabama News Center)
What started as a collaborative mural project led by BHM Artist Collective to honor health care workers in the COVID-19 fight morphed to include promoting unity as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artist Michelle Browder created the Black Lives Matter mural around the Court Square fountain in Montgomery. The fountain is the site of a former slave auction. (Meg McKinney / Alabama NewsCenter)
The street art in Mobile demonstrates the unity many are showing, both in the creation and in the message. (Mike Kittrell / Alabama News Center)
Artist Michelle Browder created the Black Lives Matter mural around the Court Square fountain in Montgomery. The fountain is the site of a former slave auction. (Meg McKinney / Alabama NewsCenter)
What started as a collaborative mural project led by BHM Artist Collective to honor health care workers in the COVID-19 fight morphed to include promoting unity as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
The street art in Mobile demonstrates the unity many are showing, both in the creation and in the message. (Mike Kittrell / Alabama News Center)
Artist Michelle Browder created the Black Lives Matter mural around the Court Square fountain in Montgomery. The fountain is the site of a former slave auction. (Meg McKinney / Alabama NewsCenter)
The street art in Mobile demonstrates the unity many are showing, both in the creation and in the message. (Mike Kittrell / Alabama News Center)
Artist Michelle Browder created the Black Lives Matter mural around the Court Square fountain in Montgomery. The fountain is the site of a former slave auction. (Meg McKinney / Alabama NewsCenter)
Helga Mendoza works on an art project in Birmingham. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artist Michelle Browder created the Black Lives Matter mural around the Court Square fountain in Montgomery. The fountain is the site of a former slave auction. (Meg McKinney / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
The street art in Mobile demonstrates the unity many are showing, both in the creation and in the message. (Mike Kittrell / Alabama News Center)
What started as a collaborative mural project led by BHM Artist Collective to honor health care workers in the COVID-19 fight morphed to include promoting unity as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artist Michelle Browder created the Black Lives Matter mural around the Court Square fountain in Montgomery. The fountain is the site of a former slave auction. (Meg McKinney / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
The street art in Mobile demonstrates the unity many are showing, both in the creation and in the message. (Mike Kittrell / Alabama News Center)
Artist Michelle Browder created the Black Lives Matter mural around the Court Square fountain in Montgomery. The fountain is the site of a former slave auction. (Meg McKinney / Alabama NewsCenter)
An art initiative in Huntsville shows unity and support for the Black Lives Matter movement. (Ronald Pollard / Alabama NewsCenter)
The street art in Mobile demonstrates the unity many are showing, both in the creation and in the message. (Mike Kittrell / Alabama News Center)
The street art in Mobile demonstrates the unity many are showing, both in the creation and in the message. (Mike Kittrell / Alabama News Center)
Artist Sai St. John painted this mural in Gadsden in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Theresa Helms / Alabama NewsCenter)
The BLACK LIVES MATTER street mural came together in less than two days. (Jay Parker / Alabama NewsCenter)
The street art in Mobile demonstrates the unity many are showing, both in the creation and in the message. (Mike Kittrell / Alabama News Center)
What started as a collaborative mural project led by BHM Artist Collective to honor health care workers in the COVID-19 fight morphed to include promoting unity as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
An art initiative in Huntsville shows unity and support for the Black Lives Matter movement. (Ronald Pollard / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
The street art in Mobile demonstrates the unity many are showing, both in the creation and in the message. (Mike Kittrell / Alabama News Center)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Street art in Prichard shows support for Black Lives Matter. (Raquel Jones / Alabama NewsCenter)
What started as a collaborative mural project led by BHM Artist Collective to honor health care workers in the COVID-19 fight morphed to include promoting unity as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
What started as a collaborative mural project led by BHM Artist Collective to honor health care workers in the COVID-19 fight morphed to include promoting unity as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
An art initiative in Huntsville shows unity and support for the Black Lives Matter movement. (Ronald Pollard / Alabama NewsCenter)
What started as a collaborative mural project led by BHM Artist Collective to honor health care workers in the COVID-19 fight morphed to include promoting unity as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
What started as a collaborative mural project led by BHM Artist Collective to honor health care workers in the COVID-19 fight morphed to include promoting unity as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
An art initiative in Huntsville shows unity and support for the Black Lives Matter movement. (Ronald Pollard / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artist Sai St. John painted this mural in Gadsden in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Theresa Helms / Alabama NewsCenter)
Helga Mendoza works on an art project in Birmingham. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Street art in Prichard shows support for Black Lives Matter. (Raquel Jones / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Street art in Prichard shows support for Black Lives Matter. (Raquel Jones / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Street art in Prichard shows support for Black Lives Matter. (Raquel Jones / Alabama NewsCenter)
An art initiative in Huntsville shows unity and support for the Black Lives Matter movement. (Ronald Pollard / Alabama NewsCenter)
Helga Mendoza works on an art project in Birmingham. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
An art initiative in Huntsville shows unity and support for the Black Lives Matter movement. (Ronald Pollard / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artist Sai St. John painted this mural in Gadsden in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Theresa Helms / Alabama NewsCenter)
Birmingham’s Rotary Trail has become a place for artistic expression. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
An art initiative in Huntsville shows unity and support for the Black Lives Matter movement. (Ronald Pollard / Alabama NewsCenter)
Street art in Prichard shows support for Black Lives Matter. (Raquel Jones / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artist Sai St. John painted this mural in Gadsden in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Theresa Helms / Alabama NewsCenter)
Street art in Prichard shows support for Black Lives Matter. (Raquel Jones / Alabama NewsCenter)
An art initiative in Huntsville shows unity and support for the Black Lives Matter movement. (Ronald Pollard / Alabama NewsCenter)
Street art in Prichard shows support for Black Lives Matter. (Raquel Jones / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
Artists in Birmingham turned plywood covering broken windows from a night of violent protests into art promoting peace and unity. (Phil Free / Alabama NewsCenter)
