PULLMAN PORTER MURAL UNVEILED
Joe Nelson speaks about the inspiration for the mural he created highlighting the contributions of the Pullman porters. PHOTO BY TIA CAROL JONES
the community of Pullman. He wanted to show the magic and
the history of the area. “I try to touch on a lot of things, like the
Pullman porters themselves, the work they did, their resilience,
their strength and the sleeping cars and the clock tower; these
are instrumental pieces to the history of Pullman,” Nelson said.
located at 109th and Cottage Grove. He believes the mural is a huge deal for him and the Pullman National Historical Park. In 2021, Nelson created a poster for the Pullman National Historical Park. He said while it is a different project, different medium and different scale, the projects have similarities because they both honor Pullman. Nelson feels it is a tremendous honor to join the other storytellers who share some
of the history and magic of Pullman.
their color choices and selections and the way they crafted the
piece. It’s beautiful to see,” Nelson said.
Historical Park thanked community residents, nonprofit partners and elected officials for their support. “We appreciate that even though he goes globally and makes beautiful art, he chose to come here to 109th Street and put a piece of lasting art here that’s going to influence hundreds and hundreds of people
each week and inspire them to learn more about this amazing
place and the Pullman porter story,” Bennett said about Nelson
and the mural.
modern and is a bridge that speaks to the past and looks forward to the future. He said that is what Pullman is all about, learning from the history and seeing where the neighborhood can go.bLiisa Stark, Vice President for Public Affairs at Union Pacific, called Nelson a humble talent and a great representation of the community.
experiencing the growth of this community through the
residents, through Alderman Beale and others. New jobs,
new services and new stores are landing in this neighborhood
at the intersection of America and it’s great to see.”
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