A judge has dismissed a lawsuit that sought to stop the University of Kentucky from removing a mural that has been the object of protests for its depictions of Black people and Native Americans. But the ruling also protects the artwork. The 1930s fresco mural by Ann Rice O’Hanlon shows the history of Lexington in a series of scenes, including Black men and women planting tobacco and a Native American man holding a tomahawk. The ruling filed Monday says the plaintiffs don’t have legal standing to bring the lawsuit, but it notes the historical significance of the artwork and ordered the university to maintain it pending any appeals.

The mural at grocery store Golden Carrot Natural Foods was painted by local artist Toney Little, who completed the mural over the weekend of March 16.

Nonprofit Artspace 304 says several individuals and agencies have collaborated to invest $40,000 in the Welcome Carbondale! project, in which artists will create three public murals on select buildings throughout the city. Now, they're calling for mural proposals from local artists.

16 influential Black leaders — all painted by local high school students — are being featured in a colorful, portable, mixed-media "mural" displayed at Kirchhoff's Deli and Bakery. 

"From our shop windows, we watch people strolling along the murals, learning about them and enjoying them, every single day."

The SIU School of Medicine is working with the School of Art and Design on the project, which is scheduled to be complete sometime this week. The departments are hopeful the project will encourage more collaboration across disciplines.