GRAFFITI

Graffiti By Allen Merta Eastern Iowa Division, MCoR / NMRA Brief History Graffiti has been around for centuries in many different forms. Cavemen placed some graffiti on large stones and in caves on the walls. Political activists used graffiti to make... More

Graffiti By Allen Merta Eastern Iowa Division, MCoR / NMRA Brief History Graffiti has been around for centuries in many different forms. Cavemen placed some graffiti on large stones and in caves on the walls. Political activists used graffiti to make statements. Gangs use graffiti as a way to mark their territory and communicate. Several authors providing a history of graffiti all seem to agree that the modern artwork known as graffiti originated in Philadelphia during the mid – 1960s. Later in that same decade, writers began to be recognized individually as writing became more prevalent. Naturally, graffiti art migrated to other cities, especially New York City. Some of the first artists to be acknowledged were Cornbread and Cool Earl, both of whom wrote all over the city. Once Cornbread emerged in New York City, other writers followed in the Washington Heights area of New York City. TAKI 183 became one of the pioneers of writings on the subway. TAKI, whose real name is Deme Less