HONORING A DELANDITE — This concept image shows what a new mural, depicting health care and civil rights activist Byllye Avery, will look like on the side of The West Volusia Beacon building at 110 W. New York Ave. in Downtown DeLand. It was designed by mural artist Courtney Canova, whose goal was to deviate from the typical portrait-style mural and illustrate Avery as the large live oak tree in her childhood home’s backyard that she spent many hours dreaming under. The tree is still standing, too, behind The Little House Next Door child care center at 133 E. Church St.
A new piece of public art in Downtown DeLand will honor Byllye Avery, an award-winning DeLand-born health care activist. The mural, which will be painted on the side of The West Volusia Beacon building — right near the famous DeLand Wings — will honor not just her legacy, but a specific element of her connection to DeLand.
The design of the mural will depict Avery as a live oak tree with her hair for leaves and branches and a young woman, like Avery herself, resting in the foliage. Mural artist Courtney Canova said the idea came from Avery herself, who shared stories of resting near a large oak tree in her family home’s backyard on Church Street.
Avery, who now lives in Provincetown, Massachusetts, graduated from high school in a very different DeLand than she returned to earlier this year when she was invited back as a distinguished guest of Stetson University. As a child in the 1940s, the neighborhood she grew up in on the city’s east side, nicknamed Little Africa, was segregated, as was the rest of DeLand.
For Canova, playing a part in memorializing a nationally recognized health care and civil rights activist from DeLand is an excellent opportunity. The artist worked closely with Avery through the design process, and when he showed her the final design, Canova said, she cried.
Avery was touched by the opportunity to be recognized by her hometown. Since her visit to DeLand earlier this year, she said, she has thought about her visit every day.
A LOVING COMMUNITY — Byllye Avery is pictured here at Stetson University when she returned earlier as a speaker for Stetson’s James A. Stewart Lecture Series. Some of the other speakers who have been a part of the series include President Jimmy Carter, Bishop Desmond Tutu and anthropologist Jane Goodall. Avery said that visit to DeLand, which included a whirlwind tour of her former haunts, was a great experience and one she hasn’t stopped thinking about since.
“It’s a high honor, and I’m just so pleased that the people of DeLand even remembered me and thought about me,” Avery said.
The idea to memorialize Avery in Downtown DeLand came from Stetson University professor of public health Dr. Asal Johnson.
“I have heard from several African American residents of DeLand that although African Americans have made important contributions to the history of this town from its conception, Black community activists and notable people are underrepresented in Downtown murals,” Johnson told The Beacon. “This mural is a step forward toward making our public history and our storytelling more inclusive. This creative and thought-provoking piece of art tells a story of a DeLand resident who dedicated her entire adult life fighting and advocating to save women’s lives by focusing on access to health care for women.”
Johnson hopes the mural will be an inspiration for the next generation of activists.
“I am hoping that because of Byllye’s connection to DeLand, this mural will provide an inspiring piece of art for younger DeLand residents, especially younger girls about the importance of activism,” she said.
Work is expected to be underway soon on the new mural. Canova will be assisted in the process by his son Jeremy Canova and Stetson University student Khyra Davis.
