WHITESBORO – A mural depicting scenes from the community of Whitesboro and the programs and people who were key in developing the Concerned Citizens of Whitesboro Inc. will be unveiled later this month during the 36th anniversary of the group and annual Whitesboro Reunion Festival.

Chanelle Rene, a self-taught contemporary figurative and mural artist who lives in Rio Grande, has been working on the mural throughout August. She plans for the mural art project, in the foyer of the Whitesboro Grammar School, to be done by Aug. 29, the day before the Whitesboro Reunion Festival is to begin, with the White Nights “White Party.”

“The Concerned Citizens group reached out to me because they wanted to document the history of the organization,” Rene said. “I thought you couldn’t do that without documenting some of Whitesboro’s history as a community. We came up with a design that tells a visual story about the founding of Whitesboro as a community; the grammar school, which was used until 1967, and many of the programs the Concerned Citizens group sponsors.”

The mural is a mix of people and symbols representing the community, according to Rene. It starts with George White, of North Carolina, who was the only African American in the 55th and 56th Congresses (1897–1901) and the last Black member of Congress until 1929. In 1906, the White family moved to Philadelphia, then experiencing significant growth due to the Great Migration. During this time White practiced law and founded a commercial savings bank, and he was a co-founder of Whitesboro as a planned community developed for African Americans.

The Whitesboro Grammar School, which reflected the demographics of the community when in use, is also featured in the mural, along with the founders of the Concerned Citizens group and the many community programs they sponsor.

For example, Vera Smith founded the food pantry and is depicted with open hands surrounded by produce. The Rainbow Homework Club is colorfully depicted, along with the summer camp program, annual reunion, and golf tournament, which provides scholarships for high school students wanting to attend college, in honor of John Roberson, who grew up in Stone Harbor and was a local educator in Middle Township schools. Roberson was a member of CCWI and served for almost 20 years as the organization’s scholarship committee person.

“Typically, I would use a projector to draw the mural on the walls first, but here at the school, the hallway is very narrow so I had to draw everything first by hand,” Rene said.

“I’m a better painter than drawer,” she said, chuckling.

“I think it’s important to tell the story about Whitesboro and document our community,” she said, “and I am honored that I was asked to paint this mural. I’m really happy with the way it is turning out. I think it’s visually appealing and it’s very colorful.”

This mural is the third that Rene has done on her own, after spending time with other mural artists to learn techniques and tips. During the Covid pandemic, she left a 20-year-plus career in digital marketing to become a full-time artist.

She has a show planned in October at the Noyes Museum of Art, Hammonton, where she will display paintings she calls, “Grant Street Beach,” based on her experiences and her family’s tradition of going to that beach in Cape May. During her grandparents’ time, the beach was segregated and the scenes she paints are from family photos.

Contact the reporter, Karen Knight, at kknight@cmcherald.com.