Officials in Atlanta are looking for an artist to create drawings and paintings honoring the nearly 30 children and young adults who were killed during a string of crime in the 1970s and 1980s, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The paintings honoring the Black boys and girls will be displayed in an exhibit at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Atlanta seeks artist for paintings honoring child murder victims: https://t.co/zrfxgDgH6a. pic.twitter.com/747q8VGiY4

— WSB Radio (@wsbradio) November 13, 2019

Interest in the murders has risen partly because of the popular podcast Atlanta Monsters and Mindhunter on Netflix.

Tayari Jones, the author of New York Times bestseller Leaving Atlanta, described the deaths in her novel.

Toni Cade Bambara’s novel Those Bones Are Not My Child, which also details the children's deaths, was reportedly edited by the late Toni Morrison.

Although many of the cases remain unsolved, Wayne Williams has been accused of committing the murders. He is serving a life sentence for killing two adults, but he was never tried for the deaths of the children.

If you're watching Mindhunter (and even if you're not) and you'd like to read an unforgettable literary treatment of the Atlanta child murders, read Tayari Jones's LEAVING ATLANTA. Powerful storytelling.

I assign this to MFA students re: POV & child narrators.
It's MASTERFUL. pic.twitter.com/gPpk2HZTNP

— Tananarive Due (@TananariveDue) August 23, 2019

The thing about Toni Cade’s semi-fictional work ‘Those Bones Are Not My Child,” based on the Atlanta Child Murders, is that she died before finishing the book. Toni Morrison, her editor/very close friend, finished the book after her passing. This is Goddess business. pic.twitter.com/wK3NSWjkLi

— DJ Scholarship (@lynneedenise) July 28, 2019

Finished the 2nd season of Mindhunter and it was great. Even better than the 1st. The fact that they covered the Atlanta Child Murders (many of which occurred closer to Conyers where I lived in middle & high school) was dope. It's a crazy story that not enough people know about.

— Myke C-Town Ⓥ (@mykectown) August 25, 2019

According to the AJC, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is sponsoring the project.

In March, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that police and prosecutors will look at new evidence about the cases using modern science and technology, the AJC reported. Bottoms also signed an administrative order establishing the “Mayor’s Advisory Committee: Atlanta Children’s Memorial Taskforce,” which is charged with finding ways to honor the victims.

Applications to be considered for the program are due by November 22, per the Associated Press. Interested artists must live in Fulton or DeKalb counties and are required to submit a digital photo and drawing of Clifford Jones. Jones’ death led police and other investigators to determine the murders were part of a pattern.

The chosen artist will receive $18,000. They will be expected to make 30 pieces of art to represent the 30 victims, according to AJC.

Tayari-Jones

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