MAGA Billboard in Montgomery Sparks Outrage with Racist Imagery

September 12, 2025

A controversial billboard in Montgomery, Alabama displaying racist blackface imagery alongside Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan has sparked significant backlash in the community. The display, funded through the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and created by the artist group For Freedoms, was intended to generate dialogue before an exhibit commemorating the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday but instead caused anger and pain. Mayor Steven L.

Who is affected

Montgomery residents, particularly the Black community in the majority-Black city
Visitors to Montgomery exposed to the billboard
The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and its board
The artist-led group For Freedoms
Civil rights advocates and those connected to the city's civil rights history

What action is being taken

Mayor Steven L. Reed has ordered the immediate removal of the billboard
The Southern Poverty Law Center is publicly supporting the mayor's decision
The National Coalition Against Censorship is actively opposing the removal through formal letters to the mayor
The controversy is sparking ongoing public dialogue about race, history, and representation

Why it matters

The billboard controversy occurs in Montgomery, a city with deep civil rights history where such imagery is particularly sensitive
It exposes tensions between artistic expression and potential harm to marginalized communities
The incident highlights ongoing conflicts between the city government and museum leadership regarding operational control
The controversy connects to broader national debates about the MAGA slogan's racial implications and how America's history of racism should be represented
It raises questions about who has authority to determine how America's past is remembered and displayed

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint