While most visitors flock to Ben’s Chili Bowl on U Street for its signature half-smoke sausage, the beloved Washington, D.C., landmark also boasts a spectacular mural that celebrates notable Black Americans.
The mural has been changed multiple times since it appeared in 2012, and previously featured a large, smiling Bill Cosby, Barack Obama, Donnie Simpson, and Chuck Brown. That portion of the mural was removed after allegations against Cosby, who was a famous frequent visitor to Ben’s Chili Bowl, came to light. For a short period of time in 2017, the mural featured a tribute to the Washington Wizards in time for the NBA playoffs. Then, later in 2017, local artist Aniekan Udofia painted the mural that stands there today.
Nearby
Sites
| Name | Since | Distance | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse | 2019 | 1km | site_ao | ||
| Howard Theatre | 2019 | 0.7km | site_ao | ||
| African-American Civil War Memorial | 2019 | 0.3km | site_ao | ||
| This D.C. Military Horse Was Given a Bronze Phallus at the Last Minute | 2017 | 1.3km | site_ao | ||
| International Temple of the Order of the Eastern Star | 2017 | 1.2km | site_ao | ||
| ‘Daiquiri Diplomacy’ at the Cuban Embassy | 2017 | 1km | site_ao | ||
| Inside the Wacky World of Washington, D.C.’s Barbie Pond | 2017 | 0.8km | site_ao | ||
| This Unacceptably Tall Building Spurred D.C.’s Skyscraper Ban | 2017 | 1km | site_ao | ||
| This Poor Little Statue Is the Most Vandalized Memorial in Washington | 2017 | 0.8km | site_ao |
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