This mural was part of an effort to honor the Gainsboro neighborhood of Roanoke. Also known as Tank Town, the Gainsboro neighborhood was once a thriving entertainment business district in the middle of the 20th Century. However, when urban renewal projects expanded in Roanoke, Tank Town was replaced with the Berglund Center in 1971 destroying many homes and businesses. In 2023 “The Heart of Gainsboro” project was unveiled to the public. Initiated by Robyn Schon, General Manager of the Berglund Center, the project took several months to complete. Artist Bryce Cobbs and Historian-in-Residence Jordan Bell conducted interviews with Gainsboro community members who were impacted by the urban renewal projects. Commenting on the experience, Cobb said “We got to interview a lot of people from the Gainsboro Northeast community that were directly impacted by the urban renewal. Just hearing their stories and hearing their insight, and their perspective is what really drove me to really dive deeper with the project and try to give them something that they could be proud of.” These stories were the inspiration for the final oil painting that Cobb later created. The painting was digitally reproduced and installed on the wall at the Gainsboro neighborhood entrance to Berglund Center. “We really want to honor this community and show them that they are not forgotten. Our hope is to both recognize and honor the past, while being able to build a new collaborative future with the Gainsboro neighborhood,” said Robyn Schon.

About the artists:
Bryce Cobbs is an artist from Roanoke, Va. Since he was young, he has had a passion for art that continues to thrive. Cobbs keeps to a common theme in his work of celebrating the beauty and vitality of Black life. Each piece, created with this personal goal in mind, highlights his technical skill with a variety of mediums while conveying strong messages. Learn more about his work at artbybryce.com

Jordan Bell is an educator, historian, and community activist. Jordan works for Roanoke City Public Schools, Boys & Girls Club, and Apple Ridge Farm where he is summer camp director. Jordan believes in being an active member of his community. He is a member of many different organizations that do work in the neighborhoods of Roanoke, Virginia. Jordan and his daughter give walking tours of the historic Gainsboro neighborhood. Jordan has presented and led workshops for college courses, organizations, and local government officials on the importance of historical preservation.

Sourced from:
Roanoke's Berglund Center Acknowledges Site's Painful Past, Honors Gainsboro through Art