The MJL National Veterans Freedom Mural: The Mission Expands to Location Two
This Website is a Dedication to our Veterans and a Thank You to All those that helped support this mural.
A Growing Living Memorial | Honoring Our Heroes Across a New Canvas
by Michael & Jennifer Lude
Location Two represents the next vital chapter in the MJL National Veterans Freedom Mural series. Driven by the overwhelming response to our original 80-foot masterpiece—which currently honors over 480 veterans from over 40 states—this second location allows us to continue our "fluid" artistic journey. As Location One remains an active sanctuary of gratitude, this expansion provides a new, monumental canvas to ensure that no veteran’s story remains untold.
This site is more than a continuation; it is a deepening of our collective reverence. We are currently accepting new photo submissions, names, and ranks to be hand-painted into this growing archive. Visitors can track our live painting progress through weekly visual updates and signature hyperlapse videos, witnessing each brushstroke as it transforms a blank wall into a spiritual embrace for our nation's guardians. Join us at Location Two as we bridge generations and carve the legacy of freedom into the heart of our community.
"The mission is growing! In partnership with the American Legion and our incredible community, we are crafting a vibrant memorial that speaks directly from the heart of the people to the veterans we honor."
by Professional Mural Artist Michael Lude & Jennifer Lude 2024
Expanding the Tribute: Location Two, Churubusco Indiana American Legion Post 157
The MJL National Veterans Freedom Mural in Columbia City stands as the first of many—a monumental tribute, 25 feet tall and 80 feet wide—serving as a vast canvas alive with stories, memory, and spirit. Painted in acrylics on the side of a building, this mural is not merely an image, but a powerful convergence of history, identity, and collective reverence woven into a dynamic tapestry of color and symbolism.
What began as a singular vision has now evolved into an expansive mission. As the first location continues to thrive, we are proud to announce the launch of our second mural location. This expansion allows us to honor even more heroes, ensuring that the stories of our veterans continue to reach new corners of our community. Just as our first location at Big Boar Cycles serves as a cornerstone of local history, this new site represents our ongoing commitment to creating a "mural trail" of honor that spans beyond a single wall.
A Shared Community Collaboration
What makes this series truly distinct is how it encompasses more than our own vision. We are honored to have over 500 veterans represented across these works, with more faces being added continually as new submissions arrive. Veterans' photos have been submitted from more than 40 states—and that number continues to grow. Members of the community contribute by submitting photographs of their loved ones whose stories now live on these walls. Each face is painted with care, accompanied by names, ranks, and personal notes and imagery inscribed beside their portraits. This collaboration transforms these murals into living memorials, bridging generations and creating a shared space where individual sacrifices are neither forgotten nor nameless.
More Than Paint: A Living Archive
These murals are more than paint on a wall—they are living archives, spiritual embraces, and a call to remember with gratitude every face that serves as a guardian of freedom. They stand as a reminder that behind every uniform is a story worth telling, and within every story lies an enduring hope for peace and unity.
This work arose from a profound desire to honor veterans while educating others about the depth of their service and the profound cost of our freedoms. It is a vivid reminder that freedom is not abstract; it is carved from the lives of those who have stood watch, fought, and given so much. We invite all who see these murals—at our original location and our growing second site—to pause, to reflect deeply on the enduring ties of faith, freedom, and unyielding service that bind us together.