East Jerusalem/Newman Community Home To City’s 66th MURAL
August 13, 2025HATTIESBURG, MS (Aug. 13, 2025) – Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Art, in partnership with the Forrest County Board of Supervisors, unveiled Hattiesburg’s 66th public art mural today. Titled “Lest We Forget,” the installation is located within Eastside Park in the historic East Jerusalem/Newman neighborhood and highlights the area’s rich heritage.
The project is an opportunity to celebrate the neighborhood, creating a meaningful tribute to its enduring spirit and resilience. It features images of iconic architecture and beloved businesses. A vibrant hub of commerce and education from the 1950s through the 1970s, the neighborhood experienced a period of decline in both commercial activity and residential population but is now enjoying an exciting resurgence.
Championing the project and its funding, Forrest County District 2 Supervisor Sharon Thompson said, “It is important to highlight the rich history contained in and often overlooked by this community. The theme is a reminder of the struggles endured while praying for a renewal of faith in future endeavors.”
The recent completion of the Hall Street overpasses has greatly supported the neighborhood’s resurgence. Among the city’s most significant infrastructure projects, the bridges reconnected the East Jerusalem/Newman community with continuous east-west access, increasing traffic flow and welcoming new energy, growth, and opportunity.
“Bringing a mural to this neighborhood for the first time is an investment in the spirit of the community,” said HAPA CEO Marlo Dorsey. “Public art should live in every district of our city because beauty, inspiration, and cultural pride are essential ingredients for growth and vibrancy.”
Pine Belt artist and educator Courtney Germany was selected through a national call for
artists to create the piece, her first with HAPA.
“This mural embraces nostalgia by depicting each unique characterization in the format of vintage postage stamps. Churches and gathering spaces are depicted as pillars of faith and unity, while imagery of iconic storefronts and family-owned enterprises highlight the neighborhood’s mercantile spirit,” said Germany. “This mural will not only preserve the memories of the past but also celebrate the heart and soul of East Jerusalem/Newman for generations to come.”
The completed design measures 20 feet wide by seven feet high and was made possible by HAPA, the Forrest County Board of Supervisors, and the City of Hattiesburg Parks and Recreation department, who prepared and primed the wall for painting.
Since 2020, HAPA has worked to significantly grow Hattiesburg’s public art throughout the city through murals, sculptures, and hand-painted utility boxes. The total number of public art pieces in the community now exceeds 100, including sculptures.
To learn more about HAPA or for a map of existing public art in Hattiesburg, visit HAPA’s Facebook and Instagram pages or hburgart.com.
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A program of VisitHATTIESBURG, HAPA began in 2014 through the leadership of community members and generous donors passionate about publicly sharing art and making it accessible to all. HAPA continues to purchase and place art throughout the city – in parks, neighborhoods, public buildings, and businesses – while also raising awareness for works of art already in the area. The organization is partially funded by VisitHATTIESBURG, Mississippi Arts Commission grants, the City of Hattiesburg, and other local organizations and individuals who believe in the importance of public art.