Miami MoCAAD brings Overtown’s history to life with interactive murals at North Dade Library

The Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora (Miami MoCAAD) is turning the North Dade Regional Library into a vibrant hub of Black Miami history with its “Telling Overtown Stories, Saying Their Names” Mobile Interactive Mural Exhibition.

The exhibition runs through the end of March 2026 at the library’s lobby, located at 2455 Northwest 183rd Street, Miami Gardens, FL 33056.

The exhibition features three mobile, interactive murals—replicas of permanent works in Historic Overtown—that combine augmented reality, oral histories, and storytelling to offer an immersive cultural experience. Visitors can use embedded QR codes to hear firsthand accounts from community members, historians, artists, and cultural leaders, connecting the past and present in engaging, interactive ways.

“Our Interactive Mural Initiative ensures that Overtown’s cultural heartbeat is not only remembered but also experienced in impactful new ways,” said Marilyn Holifield, Co-founder of Miami MoCAAD. “By bringing oral histories and contemporary art directly into public spaces such as libraries, we’re creating living environments where history speaks and future generations will see themselves reflected.”

Overtown, often referred to as the “Harlem of the South,” was historically a thriving center for Black arts, jazz, business, and community life. The construction of I-95 and other urban developments disrupted the neighborhood, but its cultural legacy endures. Miami MoCAAD’s murals honor that heritage while using technology to make it accessible to new audiences who may not visit Overtown.

The exhibition includes:

• “OVERtown: Our Family Tree” by Anthony “Mojo” Reed II, highlighting Miami’s first Black judge, Lawson E. Thomas, and early civil rights activism.

• “International Longshoremen Local 1416” by Reginald O’Neal, spotlighting Black waterfront workers who helped build Miami’s economy.

• “Overtown Pitch: Game Changers” by Stefan Smith, celebrating soccer, inclusion, and youth empowerment.

By bringing the murals to a public library, Miami MoCAAD transforms the space into a living archive, where art educates, communities engage, and Black Miami’s stories are preserved for future generations.

For more information and library hours, visit North Dade Regional Library.