Welcome Braves
In 1962 Dr. Marvin Goldstein and Dr. Irving Goldstein opened the Atlanta Americana Motor Hotel, the city’s first racially integrated hotel. The hotel was integral to the Civil Rights Movement, welcoming leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who is celebrated in a mural on the other side of this building. In 1964, The Milwaukee Braves officially requested permission from the National League of Baseball to transfer to Atlanta. At the time, it was uncertain whether Hall of Famer Hank Aaron would continue playing with the Braves due to racial tension in the South. The hotel played a part in attracting the team by ensuring integrated accommodations for the players. On April 12, 1966, 40,000 fans lined the streets of Downtown Atlanta for the Braves opening day parade, ending at the Atlanta Americana Motor Hotel. Muhammad Yungai brings this moment to life in an intricate scene inspired by historic photographs.
Muhammad Yungai is a self-taught professional muralist from New Orleans, LA and based in Atlanta, GA. His work can be found gracing several walls in both cities. As a former art educator, Yungai has a special passion for creating school murals that inspire students and make the educational experience warmer and brighter for them and their teachers.