Edythe Boone

Edythe Boone (born 1938), is an African-American artist and activist.

Early Life

Edythe Boone came from a working class family. Her mother was a maid for a white, Jewish family. That family was very supportive of Boone.

Career

Edythe Boone is a muralist who has painted many murals, or large pieces of art. She painted murals for the city of Berkeley, CA. Berkeley City Council said July 13th is “Edy Boone Day.” The first Edy Boone Day was in 2010. She started out as a sort of “under-cover muralist,” secretly painting murals at night that reflected the struggles of people of color. Now 74 years old, she has painted numerous murals, including several that are now famous landmarks. For example, in San Francisco she helped paint “Maestra Peace,” which roughly means “Woman Teacher of Peace.” Boone also likes working with people who live in a neighborhood to make their own mural, including people who are homeless and lived in People's Park in Berkeley. Recently she has been getting more attention because of a 2013 documentary called “A New Color” by Mo Morris that tells about her notable career. “She builds bridges between people who don’t think they have [any similarities].”