When Cameron Hill was tapped by Marie Pizano to paint a large-scale mural in honor of the late actor John Amos, who embodied the character of James Evans Sr. in the TV series “Good Times,” he was ecstatic.
“It was the first mural I’ve done for the city of Memphis,” said Hill, who painted murals for the Memphis Grizzles, Jack Daniels, and Amazon. But there was something special about this mural project.
The mural is titled “Three Generations” and “highlights the significance of legacy and the essential role fathers play in the lives of families and communities,” said Pizano, founder and president of The MVP3 Foundation.
The mural captures in profile reasonable facsimiles of the legendary actor, his father John A. Amos Sr., and Amos’s son, Kelly Christopher “KC” Amos. Hill rendered their likeness with spray paint on the side of a building at 88 South Front St. in downtown Memphis.
Pizano said fathers are vital in reducing trauma and healing communities, which she has championed over the years. Now she’s fighting on a different front, calling it, “Healing Through the Arts.”
On Sept. 15, Pizano dedicated “Three Generations” to the memory of Amos, a friend, she said, who was often referred to as “America’s Dad.” She said Amos supported her mission to inspire hope and healing through the arts.
Amos and his son, KC, came to Memphis in 2023 at Pizano’s request to announce the actor’s role in “Hillbilly Bible,” a faith-based film that Pizano was producing. They’d collaborated on future projects as well, but Amos had taken ill and died on Aug. 21, 2024.
Hill understood the assignment and the significance of visualizing Pizano’s concept. Moreover, he understands the need to have a father in the home and the ramification of not having one altogether.
“Fathers are pretty much missing in the Black community,” said Hill, who lost his father last year on Oct. 3. “My father went to work and passed away. Once I got the news, I vowed I would live my life the way I wanted to.”
At that moment, grief turned to a yearning to succeed at something that he could control — his own destiny. So, he quit his job to pursue art full time. That was nine years ago and he hasn’t looked back — other than to reflect on how far he’s come.
Hill drew inspiration from his father and his older brother, the victim of gun violence. “I had to take care of him,” the 29-year-old artist said. During this time in Hill’s life, he was beset with problems.
A biology major at LeMoyne-Owen College, Hill said an advisor suggested that he take painting classes. “I had never painted before,” he said, and would go on to graduate from the college in 2019. “This was all new to me.”
Considering the deluge of misinformation in the ether today, Pizano said the mural is a tribute to legacy, fatherhood, and the power of storytelling across generations. It has been a pet peeve of hers that misleading information is proliferating various media platforms.
During the unveiling, Pizano and KC — who was in Memphis to witness “Three Generations” — announced the winner of the second MVP3 John Amos Grant. The honoree was Robrecus “Rico” Parker, a student at Southwest Tennessee Community College.
Parker embodies media integrity and purpose, said Pizano, and added that he furthers Amos’s legacy and the mission of The MVP3 Foundation to mentor and uplift future storytellers with heart and truth.
The mural project was sponsored by The MVP3 Foundation with support from City Councilman Edmund H. Ford Sr. and Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. For more information, visit MVP3foundation.org and MVP3network.com.
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