Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs has unveiled a new mural by Washington, D.C., artist Brandon Hill as part of its Black History Month celebration. Completed on February 14, the piece is a tribute to the strength, courage, and optimism of Black cowboys in the American West.
Hill, a Baltimore native, has created public art for nearly a decade. He believes his work was first noticed by Art Walk organizers after speaking at a 2023 design conference. The opportunity to paint live at Disney Springs challenged him in new ways. “Public art is different. You have to be okay with people seeing your work unfinished,” he explained.
His mural is part of the Disney Springs Art Walk, which features year-round murals by Black artists. Each piece stays for up to two years, contributing to Walt Disney World’s “Celebrate Soulfully” initiative, which highlights Black culture through food, art, music, and entertainment.
Hill’s inspiration came from a book he read during the pandemic, Black Cowboys in the American West, which revealed that Black cowboys made up a third of the population at the height of cowboy life. “That’s nearly half, but we haven’t been represented that way in popular culture,” he said.
He hopes his mural challenges perceptions. “When you say ‘cowboy,’ you should think of a Samuel L. Jackson or Wesley Snipes-looking dude, but instead, we only picture Clint Eastwood,” he noted. “We were pioneers, too.”
