Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Iconic 'Crack Is Wack' Keith Haring Mural Is Back
By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 8, 2019
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Parks Department
View all 6
By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 8, 2019
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Back in the summer of 1986, artist Keith Haring illegally painted his "Crack Is Wack" mural on an abandoned handball court in a park near Harlem River Drive in one day. He was inspired to paint it after his studio assistant, Benny, had become addicted to crack, and after several failed attempts to help Benny get clean. Haring was quoted saying he was “inspired by Benny, and appalled by what was happening in the country, but especially New York, and seeing the slow reaction (as usual) of the government to respond, I decided I had to do an anti-crack painting.”
Haring was caught by cops and arrested, but because of positive coverage of his message, he ended up only being given a small fine and zero jail time. The mural had been defaced in the meantime, but the Parks Department reached out to him and asked him to do a new two-sided mural with their blessing. After Haring's death in 1990, that piece became one of his most famous works, and that part of Harlem River Park was renamed the Crack Is Wack Playground.
It was restored in 1995, 2007 and most recently in 2012; then a few years ago, the Parks Department covered it to protect it from construction happening nearby. The covering was finally taken off this summer for another much-needed restoration, commissioned by the Keith Haring Foundation and Parks Department and overseen by artist Louise Hunnicutt.
That restoration is now just about done, as you can see in the photos and video above. If you want to visit it, it's located on Second Avenue between 127th and 128th Streets and Harlem River Drive.
Haring has more than 50 other pieces of public art still up around the city as well—you can check out a video about two of his murals below.
Tagged
keith haring
mural
harlem
crack is wack
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Ever wish you could get paid to walk through a stranger’s house? ‘The Scout’ is for you.
A new film focuses on the strange career of a location scout in New York City.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Sep 26, 2026
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Arts & Entertainment
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
A massive MTA archive ended up in a Virginia warehouse. A Brooklyn man brought it home.
By
Hannah Frishberg
How a Harry Styles pop-up in the East Village led to a nearby bookstore owner's arrest
By
Sonia Rao
NYC’s creative workers are increasingly self-employed, report says
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .