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Since the mid-1980s, Steubenville's story has been told through a series of two dozen murals that have been painted on the sides of buildings downtown and in Hollywood City Center.
Those murals paint a rich history of Steubenville and the surrounding area -- from a depiction of a pioneer arriving at the Ohio River; to Moses Fleetwood Walker, who is recognized as being the first Black player in Major League Baseball; to Edwin Stanton --President Abraham Lincoln's secretary of war --and David Homer Bates -- Lincoln's telegraph operator; to Jerome and John "Ellis" Edwards of the Tuskegee Airmen; to Dorothy Sloop of "Hang on Sloopy" fame; to Dean Martin, the king of the cocktail cool era.
The success of the murals project made Steubenville the perfect location for a new work, one that its artist hopes will bring about change.
Titled "Stop the Gun Violence," Kyle Holbrook's creation shares a positive message and looks at some of the good things that are happening in the city while helping to bring awareness to the country's growing problem with gun violence.
Located just inside the entryway to the Northend Market at 830 N. Sixth St., the 15-foot-by-9-foot painting features Harding Stadium, the railroad bridge, the Veterans Memorial Bridge, the Steubenville Big Red stallion mascot, a Black Statue of Liberty, a "Stop the Gun Violence" logo and hands flashing the peace symbol, the mural can be viewed 24 hours a day.
Tyrone Hall and his partner, Danielle Thomas, owners of the Northend Market, worked with Holbrook to come up with the mural, which they said was meant to create something positive during the Juneteenth weekend. Adding to the urgency behind the work -- June was Gun Violence Awareness Month.
That message hits home to Holbrook, a native of Wilkinsburg, Pa., who trained at the former Art Institute of Pittsburgh and who now lives in Miami: Since 2001, he has traveled to 49 states as part of his "Gun Violence Awareness National Tour," a journey he embarked on after realizing that he had lost many of his childhood friends to gun violence. Just one week after his work in Steubenville was dedicated, Holbrook unveiled another mural in the region -- a memorial to the 11 victims of the Oct. 27, 2018, shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
Holbrook, who says he is not anti-gun but is anti-gun violence, hopes that through his painting, which is not affiliated with the City of Murals project, he can help build on the positive work being done by Hall and Thomas. He pointed out there was plenty of activity around the store during the city's Juneteenth celebration, evidence members of the community recognize it as a safe place.
It's a positive sign -- one he is sure has the potential to change lives.
"A mural by itself will not stop gun violence, but it can bring increased awareness and attention to this nationwide epidemic," Holbrook said.
"It will take people from all races, religions, socio-economic backgrounds and demographics to end gun violence. Gun law reform is part of the solution, but a focus on the humans, through mentorships, counseling, education, economic cognizance as well as art programs that provide a positive means for therapy and other solutions," he added.
Thanks to the work of Holbrook and the support of Hall and Thomas, that message of hope can now be shared with more members of the community.