| Artist | Elmer Brown |
| Media | Oil & Resin on Canvas |
| Date | 1940 |
| Dimensions | 7' 2.5" X 20' |
| Location | Cleveland State University - Student Center |
This heroic mural is one of a pair painted under the auspices of the WPA and the Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA). The CMHA's director enthusiastically supported the idea of public art, and the Elmer Brown murals were commissioned for the Community Center of the Valley View Estates in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland. The mural depicts Northeast Ohio of the period with its steel mills and rising urban areas. You can see the African American artist's self portrait (holding palette, brushes, and canvas) on the right side of the mural.
In 2005 the old Valley View complex was torn down, and the ICA was called in to remove and conserve the art works. Years of accumulated surface grime was removed from the mural, revealing a much brighter and more colorful image. When the mural was originally installed, a section of the canvas had to be cut out to accommodate a ceiling beam, unfortunately, resulting in the top of the Terminal Tower being lost. This section of the mural was recreated using photos from the artist's studio. As part of a long term loan agreement between CMHA and Cleveland State University, the murals are now on displayed at the Student Center at CSU.
