News4’s Derrick Ward shows us the new faces on the storied wall at Ben’s Chili Bowl. The mural will honor stars of music, history and sports — and News4’s own legend Jim Vance.
NBC4’s very own Jim Vance is among several prominent figures included in the new Ben’s Chili Bowl mural.
Sketched in black and white, notable figures could be seen Friday on the wall outside the historic business on U Street NW.
Muhammad Ali, Marion Barry, Chuck Brown, Dave Chappelle, Roberta Flack, Dick Gregory, Taraji P. Henson, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Barack and Michelle Obama, Russ Parr, Prince, Donnie Simpson, Harriet Tubman and Wale are all included.
The new mural, named “The Torch” was crafted by Aniekan Udofia, artist of the original mural.
“This is not a memorial. D.C. has enough memorials. This is a celebration of life, of the living, of the living history the Obamas brought us,” Udofia said, according to the Washingtonian.
The original mural featured former President Barack Obama, Donnie Simpson, Chuck Brown and Bill Cosby. In late January, it was painted over.
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Members of the Ali family, owners of Ben's Chili Bowl, previously said the ongoing Cosby scandal was not responsible for their decision to remove the original mural. The updated mural will not include Cosby.
