New Mural Captivates Attention and Slows Traffic in Downtown Birmingham

Delmous Vance III is still adjusting to the sight of vehicles slowing down as they approach his downtown Birmingham building.

His pharmacy, Citizens Express, located on Fifth Avenue North, sits directly across from the A.G. Gaston Motel museum in the city’s Civil Rights District. A new mural on the building’s exterior is catching everyone’s attention.

The mural, titled "Radical Seeds," spans the entire building and depicts five individuals, including an infant, children, and adults, in a communal embrace.

“It’s meaningful because this is the gateway to the Fourth Avenue Business District. With A.G. Gaston having owned this building before selling it to my father, it represents a legacy,” Vance said.

As Vance spoke outside, a woman pulled into the adjacent parking lot to take a longer look at the artwork. “Everybody’s loving it,” Vance added.

The mural was commissioned in June by Taproot Earth, a non-profit organization based in Slidell, Louisiana. Taproot Earth focuses on helping communities from the Gulf to Appalachia that are impacted by climate change through organizing and advocacy.

“They wanted something that symbolized love, abundance, and power to align with their messaging,” explained Langston Austin, a New Orleans artist. “I generally aim to paint with empathy and care. The mural clearly reflects people caring for one another in various ways.”

Vance was quick to offer his building as a canvas for the mural. “It’s a profound piece,” he said. “It suggests that everyone plays a role in making things work. It requires a community investment.”

Citizens Express Pharmacy has been a longstanding business in downtown Birmingham. It was originally founded by A.G. Gaston, a trailblazing Black entrepreneur.

Gaston, born into extreme poverty in Alabama’s Black Belt and the grandson of formerly enslaved people, went on to build a business empire that included a funeral home, insurance company, bank, motel, and drug store. By the time of his death at 103 years old in 1996, Gaston had become a pillar of the community.

Delmous Vance Jr., Vance's father, worked as a pharmacist at Citizens Express before purchasing the business from Gaston in 1970. Vance III took over the pharmacy after his father’s death in 1996.

Vance views the mural as a new addition to the city's landscape that connects the past, present, and future.

“It keeps the legacy alive for another generation. This pharmacy, brought to the community by A.G. Gaston, is still here. It’s a continuation of my dad’s legacy, and I’m proud to carry it forward.”