San francisco school may destroy george washington murals for traumatizing students. Imagine having something on the walls of your high school as fascinating as an original panel history of george washingtons life painted by a communist protege of diego rivera and wanting to destroy it. The destruction of high school murals says a lot about how. He worked in san francisco and the bay area from 1925 to 1963, including two decades as a teacher at stanford university, and was particularly prolific as a muralist during the 1930s. Activists want a problematic mural of george washington. George washington high school mural to be painted over in. Arnautoff studied washingtons life carefully before painting his murals over 10 months. Glover joined dozens of artists and art community leaders, civil rights leaders, educators, george washington high school alumni and san francisco residents to call for the murals to remain up. Arnautoff returned to san francisco in 1931, smack dab in the middle of the great depression. Painted in 1936 through funding from the new deals works progress administration wpa, victor arnautoffs life of washington decorates the walls of san franciscos george washington high school. In 1949, when george orwell published those words in his novel 1984, the murals depicting the life of the first u. The radical history of the murals at george washington. Actor danny glover is joining the growing chorus of prominent black activists who are opposed to covering a mural at george washington high school in san francisco, an artist and critic of the countrys founding fathers painted in 1936. Large turnout to view george washington murals slated for.
San francisco residents voice opposition to censorship of. San francisco school may destroy george washington murals. George washington high school contains major works by three other w. When george washington high school opened its doors in august 1936, 1,600 square feet of its interior walls were covered with a a series of murals depicting the life of the school s namesake, and the countrys first president, george washington. George washington mural at san francisco high school to be. High school could erase 1936 mural of george washington. San francisco in one of the murals, george washington points. Victor arnautoff mural at george washington high school in san francisco, calif. If they succeed, this would be book burning in germany in the 1930s. San francisco school officials are expected to decide whether to destroy or keep the historic mural at george washington high school, photographed in san francisco, calif. San franciscos school board voted tuesday to cover up, but. San francisco cbsap actor danny glover, a san francisco washington high graduate, on monday compared plans to paint over the controversial mural at the school to a book burning.
Critics advocating for their removal say they are offensive to native americans and africanamericans. But tuesdays 43 vote to obscure the artwork at the george washington high school with panels, instead of painting over it, was a compromise that pleased few, according to the san francisco. Pictured above is one of the controversial murals in george washington high school that could be facing its demise. San francisco high school could remove a 1936 mural of george washington because of traumatizing pictures of slaves and dead native americans. The artwork at the san francisco high school has faced heightened. In defence of the george washington murals apollo magazine. In june of 2019, the san francisco unified school district sfusd board of education voted unanimously to destroy works progress administration murals made by victor arnautoff in 1936 for the george washington high school. San franciscos school board voted tuesday not to destroy, but rather to cover up and preserve, a mural depicting slavery, a murdered native american and george washington. The school i went to, balboa high school in san francisco, had a football game with george washington high school. At issue are depictions of george washingtons slaves and violence against native americans. On tuesday, the board voted that the murals, which have been deemed offensive due to their graphic. San francisco school board to destroy historic mural of.
The problem with canceling the arnautoff murals michele h. After a long and heated argument over the fate of a series of controversial murals at george washington high school, the san francisco board of education has arrived at a compromise, which, like most compromises, leaves everyone unsatisfied. On june 25 th, the san francisco unified school district sfusd voted to remove 1930s works progress administration wpa murals at george washington high school. This artist painted the black radical response to the. San francisco unified school district is back in session, and at george washington. San francisco school board reverses decision to paint over. Debate over controversial murals at san franciscos george washington high school heats up i remember feeling really hurt. San francisco s school board voted tuesday not to destroy, but rather to cover up and preserve, a mural depicting slavery, a murdered native american and george washington. San francisco in one of the murals, george washington points westward over the. Victor mikhail arnautoff born uspenivka, taurida governorate russian empire, november 11, 1896 died leningrad, soviet union, march 22, 1979 was a russianamerican painter and professor of art.
The official fb page for san franciscos george washington high school alumni association. On june 25th, the san francisco unified school district sfusd is scheduled to vote on the fate of thirteen 1930s works progress administration wpa murals at george washington high school. I want to get into the high school and view the murals before they are. San francisco cbsap actor danny glover, a san francisco washington high. Actor danny glover opposes washington high mural removal. The san francisco unified school district sfusd reluctantly opened george washington high school for two brief hours last thursday for a viewing of the historic panel mural by leftwing.
The san francisco unified school district sfusd board of education voted unanimously last month to cover murals at the high school that depict the. They say the pair of panels traumatizes students and community members. Life of washington by victor arnautoff san francisco. San francisco school to paint over mural of george washington. The case for keeping san franciscos disputed george. In san francisco, a panel defends controversial wpa mural at george washington high school. An historic mural at george washington high school. In 1935, through a new deal project, he got the commission to fill the brandnew george washington high school with murals depicting washingtons life and times. The school is in the outer richmond neighborhood, between. San francisco school board reverses plan to paint over.
The actor and gwhs alumnus danny glover equated the boards action with book burning. Last week, the san francisco board of education voted to paint over a 1936 mural titled the life of george washington, at the citys george washington high school. On tuesday night, the san francisco unified school districts board of education met to decide on how to address the controversial depictions of africanamericans and native americans painted by wpa artist victor arnautoff in the life of george washington. San francisco school district to paint over debated george. But, the images have offended many students, past and present.
Save our george washington high school murals blog of. A high school in northern california george washington high school, to be specific is mulling over a push to remove two 83yearold murals from its hallways. Controversial george washington murals at san francisco. High school mulls removing george washington murals.
San francisco school district must protect murals in. Balboa was an arts magnet, a test case for creating an allarts high school, with. Gwhs staff directory san francisco unified school district. The murals, created in fresco by russianamerican social realist painter victor arnautoff, can only be removed by the irreversible act of destroying them. George washington owned slaves and ordered indians killed. San francisco unified school district is back in session, and at george washington high school, students will walk by the controversial victor arnautoff murals that depict images of slavery and native american genocide. The san francisco school board voted tuesday to destroy a historic fresco of george washington that includes images of slaves and a dead native american. One of the murals that make up the life of washington at george washington high school in san francisco. The radical history of the murals at george washington high school. George washington mural at san francisco high school to be covered. The school board will decide if depressionera frescoes showing the life of. Washington high school invited the community to view the.
A mural in the life of george washington series by victor arnautoff, at george washington high school. Controversial murals at george washington high school in san francisco have sparked debate over the nature of our history and how to talk about it. School leaders said the 1,600squarefoot mural must be removed from george washington high school to make reparations for historic wrongs, the san francisco chronicle reports. To destroy them or block them from view would be akin to book burning, he said. People fill the main entryway of george washington high school to view the controversial panel, 1,600square foot mural, the life. The mural, titled life of washington and located at george washington high school.
Fate of controversial sf high school mural down to three. The san francisco unified school board voted unanimously tuesday night to destroy or cover over leftwing murals depicting the contradictory life of george washington. At the height of the great depression, a russian artist was paid by the us government to paint a series of murals in a san francisco high school. The 1,600squarefoot, panel work that victor arnautoff created was called the life of washington. In san francisco, a panel defends controversial wpa mural at. The life of george washington murals depict scenes of the revolutionary leader and first president of the united. A high school in san francisco is considering three options for censoring a mural of george washington deemed problematic by the local activist community. A fresco from victor arnautoffs the life of george washington. The san francisco board of education has decided to cover up a series of controversial murals at george washington high school, reversing an. Courtesy dick evans, san francisco theyve voted to spend close to.
The depressionera mural, which depicts black slaves and dead native americans in colonialera scenery, is in the lobby of george washington high school on geary boulevard in san franciscos. Meeting on washington high school murals turns contentious. San francisco unified school district programs, activities, and practices shall be free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age. George washington high school alumni and san francisco. Doo doo mon inyah injah l to r and alice mosley talk as they look at a 1936 mural depicting the life of george washington by san francisco artist victor arnautoff at george washington high school during a public viewing on thursday, aug. This controversy has risen many times, once in the 1960s when the school countered the problem with new murals in the adjoining hallway by dewey crumpler.
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