The Graffiti Squad: From the Baltimore Mural Program to Graffiti Alley, 1975–Present
Presented by Menika Dirkson
During the 1970s and 1980s, Baltimore youth tagged graffiti on homes, public buildings, and other structures—a form of creative expression legally considered vandalism. The city’s anti-graffiti measures relied on criminal prosecution but also began to include arts-oriented programs to channel youthful creativity. Tracing this more positive approach offers a chance to compare preventive versus punitive strategies.
Menika B. Dirkson is associate professor of African American History at Morgan State University. Her book Hope and Struggle in the Policed City: Black Criminalization and Resistance in Philadelphia was published by NYU Press in 2024.
