Noah Abdurahman Beich
“ ...an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over a white – except by piety and good action.” from the last sermon of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
Sahih International:...We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely… (Quran)
My name is Noah Beich. My name is Noah Abdurahman Beich. Let me explain.
My mother is a Russian immigrant named Yana Ivleva. My father was born and raised in America, his name is Jeb Beich. The odds of me being born Muslim with the middle name Abdurahman seem highly unlikely. Yet my Muslim identity, like my middle name, shapes me at my core. The religion of Islam provided me access to an entirely different world, one where I can use my innate privilege to stand up for those who don’t posses the same luxury. These are the people who today in America are shunned and discriminated against not only by other citizens, but also by the institutions that create the infrastructure of America. Consequently, growing up resembling a “white” American on the exterior, but with deeply rooted religious identity of a Muslim man on the interior, greatly informs my voice as an artist and what I hope to accomplish. I intend to draw attention to the fallacy of racism and how it quickly falls apart when under the lens of logic and I persist in the hopes that my artwork will give power to minorities. Unfortunately in America my race and gender as a white male gives me greater access to resources necessary for success, more doors are open, and my actions are subject to less scrutiny, due to the systems put in place by colonists who subjugated minorities. But yet, my religious identity allows me to digest and interpret information atypically to my race, and simultaneously advocate on behalf of those who don’t enjoy the comfort of my shoes.
“If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there's no progress. If you pull it all the way out that's not progress. Progress is healing the wound that the blow made. And they haven't even pulled the knife out much less heal the wound.” (Malcom X)
Racial inequality plagues our society. Slavery still exists under amendment thirteen and there is much more work to be done. I feel that art floods the viewer’s subconscious and can spark real emotion in people's hearts, which causes real change. Art flows smoothly past the hard exterior of many, thus allowing the motives of the artist to more easily reach the heart. As a result, I typically focus the vast majority of my pieces around shedding light on and giving power to minorities.
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A.T. Walden Mural
Austin Thomas Walden held many esteemed positions throughout his life. My mural depicts him being sworn in as the first ever black judge of the Atlanta Municipal Court on February 3rd, 1964. This moment will forever be regarded as one of A.T Waldens most prestigious achievements and as a symbol of his determination to succeed in the world of law. For those who aren’t familiar with the contributions of A.T Walden, he held multiple leadership roles ranging from the Butler Street YMCA, to the Atlanta University Alumni Association, the Atlanta Branch of the NAACP, and the Wheat Street Baptist Church. A.T Walden also started an organization to increase the black voter registration and with its success came improvements to street and sewer infrastructure as well as the hiring officers to police neighborhoods in which they grew up. He fought many other social issues throughout his career as a lawyer and was considered a prominent civil rights activist.
When I was applying for the opportunity to do this mural project I really hoped to have the chance to paint A.T Walden. His contributions to black history and to the city of Atlanta ranged from the grassroots level to high standing courtroom decisions and through my research I saw his dedication to create real change in the city. It’s rare that you find people use their power so effectively for the benefit of other people’s livelihoods. In the future I would like to revisit A.T Walden as the subject of my artwork because I feel there is a lot more to be said about him than what I was able to achieve in this mural.
A.T Walden participated in so many civil rights organizations, many of which are inspiring me to consider what kind of real changes I can make through my artwork. I’d like to have my art not just be for show but to instead contribute to something more meaningful and long-standing. That is why I’m so honored and eager to participate in this mural project because it seems to me like a step in that direction.
The Walden Building
28 Butler Street, Walden Building was built in 1948 by Williamson and Company. Austin T. Walden, a leading black lawyer from Atlanta who spearheaded several equal rights campaigns, had his office here from 1948 until his death in 1965.
Austin Thomas (A.T.) Walden became Georgia's first Black judge in 1964. When he was younger, Walden started his law practice in Macon, Georgia in 1941. After offering his service in the army during World War I, he moved to Atlanta and quickly became involved in Georgia's civil rights movements. After some time, in 1949, he became the co-chair of the Atlanta Negro Voter's League and helped it become the most powerful Black political organization in the city. Though Walden retired in the early 1960’s, he continued to maintain office hours to prove legal advice to the port and to help those throughout the community.
"A. T. Walden was a noted attorney, a civil rights leader, and one of the New South's first black political power brokers. His life spanned nearly eighty turbulent years of southern history when racial segregation and restrictions on black voter participation were common practices. One of the few black lawyers in Georgia during the civil rights era, Walden litigated civil rights cases to help equalize pay for black teachers in Georgia. Having won the lawsuits that helped to desegregate the Atlanta public schools and the University of Georgia, Walden earned a national reputation as a civil rights lawyer. "
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