Elgin Unveils Black Icons Mural Featuring Five Community Leaders

ELGIN, Texas – Both Elgin and Round Rock hosted Martin Luther King Jr. events, highlighting the past and looking to the future.

Elgin introduced the Black Icons mural, located on the historically distinct south side of the tracks, which depicts five leaders of the black community, both deceased and living.

They include civil rights leader Harvey Westbrook, educator Annie Lee Haywood, business owners and social activists S. H. McShane and Dorothy McCarter, and musician Monty Jo Thomas.

The mural by artist Jeremy Biggers is 50 feet long and 20 feet high. The opening was spearheaded by Teresa McShane, Elgin’s first black mayor.

“I’m honored to be back here to be able to use my skill set to honor such great people in the community here in Elgin,” Biggers said.

“Today we are better people because we have Thomas’s blood in our veins, and you are better people because you crossed the path of Monty Joe Thomas. You strengthen the tree by remembering the roots,” said the daughter of Monty Jo Thomas.

The Thomas family singers sang a song with the words: “They push me to the bottom of the bowl, and I rise to the top.”

McShan talked about her father, who just turned 91.

“He taught me how I should behave, how I should act and what I should do, and it couldn’t get any better than that, as far as I can tell. I might have thought differently when we were growing up, but I appreciate it so much now. Thank you dad, she said.

“It’s a blessing, it’s an honor, it’s a privilege to be placed on this Black Icon mural in Elgin, Texas alongside such giants,” said Dorothy McCarter.

“Our father was part of the first generation of blacks who traveled the world and had experiences that surpassed previous generations of black Americans,” Harvey Westbrook’s son said. “On behalf of the Westbrook family, I would like to express our deepest appreciation and gratitude for having our father depicted in this vibrant and beautiful mural. Dad would be so happy to see himself with other leaders in our community.”

“I’m so proud that people still remember her year and years and years and years…and just remember, she will never let you use the wrong grammar,” said Grace Mosby, Annie Lee Haywood’s daughter.

In Round Rock, Round Rock Black History hosted the 36th annual MLK Walk and Celebration.

The Austin Citywide March Sound Drum Line participated. The organization provides at-risk students with musical outlets and prepares them for college.

“The MLK Parade is very important to our community because of what MLK has done for our people. We are just happy to be a part of it and continue it,” said founder Joshua Rogers.