Decoding the Legacy
The Meaning Behind the 1936 W.E. Scott Mural
On June 28th, 1936 curtains were drawn in the ballroom of the Wabash Avenue YMCA for the first public reveal of what would become one of the most iconic artistic representations of Black History: a 30-ft wide by 8-ft tall mural by artist William Edouard Scott.
Today, this work is often called the ‘Mind, Body, Spirit’ mural due to the inscription on its central emblem. However, this title does not appear to have been given by Scott himself. Stated in a Chicago Defender newspaper article written around the time of its completion, the mural “is the artist’s interpretation of the spirit of the YMCA as conceived by George R. Arthur, executive secretary of the branch.” The central emblem is the historic insignia of the YMCA which includes the three-pronged mind-body-spirit philosophy inside a triangle. Drawing from the YMCA’s acronym origins as the Young Men’s Christian Association, this historic insignia also includes a Bible in the center and the Greek letters Chi Rho, a common symbol used to reference Jesus Christ. Interestingly, Scott chose in 1936 to use an insignia primarily used in the 1890’s, though the reason for this remains unknown.
One of Scott’s notable additions to the insignia is a hand holding a torch, a recurring symbol throughout the mural. There are a total of four torches in the composition, seemingly serving a purpose as the one held by the Statue of Liberty – to symbolize hope and opportunity to those who see it. The audience of this mural in 1936 included countless African American migrants who had arrived in Chicago from the South during the Great Migration. A deeper interpretation than the “spirit of the YMCA” narrative is that the mural is a visual representation of the Great Migration and how the Wabash Y served as a beacon of hope for these new arrivals.
“According to Mr. Arthur, the story of the painting is that the central figure represents a youth who has just come to a large city. In the YMCA which is open to him he sees avenues which lead to whatever goal might be his in any field of human endeavor.”
That is the official narrative, however, individuals who have studied Black History may notice there is obviously even more to the story than that. Several of the figures appear to reference real individuals who had made significant contributions to society.
The leftmost figure on the mural is a Black man holding an airplane, likely representing Cornelius Coffey, who played a crucial role in increasing the number of Black aviators in the U.S. While Bessie Coleman was the first Black and first Female pilot, she had to go to France to learn to fly because no U.S. schools would enroll Black students. Coffey, inspired by Coleman and determined to stop these barriers, filed a discrimination lawsuit against the Curtiss-Wright Aeronautical University. Meanwhile, his friend John C. Robinson took a job as a janitor there and secretly listened to lectures and studied discarded notes. Together, they built their own plane with a motorcycle engine and taught themselves to fly. When an instructor found out about the project, they were finally admitted to the university. Coffey became the first Black American to hold both a pilot’s and mechanic’s license. Two years after this mural was painted, he established the Coffey School of Aeronautics, where many of the renowned Tuskegee Airmen were taught to fly. By 1939, Coffey and his colleagues formed the National Airman’s Association, which held meetings in the Wabash Y.
On the opposite side of the mural, a man is depicted working on what is most likely electrical technology, holding a glass bulb in one hand. The figure is believed to represent Lewis Latimer, a self-taught patent draftsman who passed away eight years before this mural was painted. Working under Alexander Graham Bell, Latimer drafted the first patent for the telephone. He later worked for Thomas Edison after inventing a carbon filament that significantly increased the lifespan of light bulbs and made them more affordable. Latimer also invented an early air conditioner, a bathroom system for railroad cars, and a safety elevator. However his contribution to the light bulb remains his most widely recognized achievement.
Near the center of the mural is one of only two women depicted. (The M in YMCA does stand for “men” after all. Even though the Wabash Y had programs for woman very early in its history, women did not become full-fledged members of the YMCA until 20 years after this was painted). This figure is believed to represent Martha Minerva Franklin, a nurse who researched the challenges experienced by Black nurse. In 1908, she organized and served as the first president of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses. At the inaugural meeting, three goals were established: break down discrimination in the nursing profession, develop leadership among Black nurses, and advance the standards and best interests of trained nurses. By 1940 the association had over 12,000 members from almost every state.
This mural stands as a tribute to Black excellence and perseverance. The figures depicted not only symbolize ambition and opportunity but also appear to honor real individuals who broke barriers in their respective fields. For African American migrants arriving in Chicago during the Great Migration, this mural would have conveyed that the Wabash Y was a resource to help them achieve their wildest dreams. Today, the mural serves as a powerful visual reminder of the influence of human achievement on our collective future, commemorating strides made and beckoning the viewer to reflect on their opportunity to shape our world for the better.
