YMCA covers murals of historical Wisconsin figures

RACINE, Wis. — Murals of U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, activist Maria Morales and former NBA player Will Bynum have been covered up at a southeast Wisconsin neighborhood center as it becomes a YMCA.

Racine YMCA CEO Jeff Collen tells The Journal Times that the YMCA decided to paint over Moore’s and Morales’ murals because the facility doesn’t want to be involved politically. Collen didn’t comment on why Bynum’s mural was covered.

Moore says she’s “heartbroken” her mural has been covered. Morales says she was hurt by the news but would recover. Both say they’re confident their legacies will live on.

Bynum’s representative didn’t respond to the newspaper’s request for comment.

The Racine Family YMCA board voted in February to purchase the Bray Center, which closed in September 2016 because of financial issues.

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