Jackie Robinson, Minnie Minoso Murals in Miami Defaced with Racist Graffiti

Murals depicting baseball icons Jackie Robinson and Minnie Miñoso in Miami were defaced with racist graffiti.

Mark Puleo of The Athletic reported Friday that Miami Police Department spokesperson Michael Vega said the department's special investigations unit is investigating the situation as a hate crime.

Puleo noted the graffiti at Dorsey Park, which is a historic Negro League park in the Miami area, included swastikas over both players' faces and a slur on Robinson's mural.

Wooden boards are currently covering the graffiti as crews restore the artwork.

Robinson famously broke baseball's color barrier as the first Black player to play in the major leagues in 1947, while Miñoso became the first Black Latino player in the league in 1949. Miñoso was born in Cuba.

Artist and founder of the MLK Mural Project, Kyle Holbrook, helped create the murals that have been on display since 2011. They were part of a joint project with URGENT Inc., which is a youth development organization in the area.

"This was an act of hate, but it will not define us," Holbrook said in a statement, per Milena Malaver of the Miami Herald. "This mural was born from a community's pride, history and power. We will restore it—stronger, bolder and with even more purpose. Black history is American history. And no spray paint can erase that truth."

While Saliha Nelson, who is the founder and CEO of URGENT, said this is the first time these murals have been defaced, Malaver noted that Holbrook said the Andre Dawson mural was vandalized with graffiti in 2023.

Robinson is one of the most famous figures in American history and played for the Brooklyn Dodgers during his Hall of Fame career from 1947 through 1956. His resume included an MVP, World Series title, Rookie of the Year, batting title and seven All-Star selections.

Miñoso played for Cleveland, the Chicago White Sox, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Washington Senators during a Hall of Fame career that included a World Series title, three Gold Gloves and nine different years as an All-Star selection.