Posted on 02/15/2025 1:34:50 PM PST by nickcarraway
Silicon Valley groups are calling for a mural they say is racist to be removed from the Palo Alto branch of the Santa Clara County Superior Court.
Several groups including the NAACP San Jose/Silicon Valley and Muwekma Ohlone tribe said a mural inside the hallway of the Palo Alto branch displays colonialist imagery, denigrating Native Americans.
“The portrayal of our ancestors as scantily clad and kneeling before those religious clerics who enslaved us glosses over the reality of our existence: a reality that has been marred by systematic genocide,” Charlene Nijmeh, chair of the Muwekma Ohlone tribe, said in a statement. “The image of a ship on the horizon carries with it not just historical baggage, but represents the continuous trauma inflicted upon my people, the Muwekma Ohlone, who have been the rightful guardians of this land that stretches across San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and beyond for countless generations.”
The mural features colonialist imagery that the Muwekma Ohlone tribe considers offensive. Photo by Joyce Chu. Because the courthouse is on county property, the court cannot do anything about the sprawling mural without county approval, according to Lisa Herrick, court assistant executive officer. The court has raised its concerns to the county for several years, but the county has taken a position that it is a historical piece of art that cannot be painted over.
“We absolutely do not want it to be displayed,” Herrick told San José Spotlight. “Covering the painting without damaging it is something that we are now contemplating because the county has informed us that it is a work of art and that we cannot remove it.”
The county sought consultants, including an art appraiser, to help it navigate the issue. The Art Asset Management group prepared a lengthy report for the county, in which it advised preserving the mural because it adds historical context to the times when Spain sent Catholic missionaries to North America to expand territory and convert Native Americans.
“There is no erasing that part of history,” the report read. “We can look back and regret the past, but without knowing and recognizing the past, we might forget that these things happened and find ourselves in the same place — wanting to destroy a foreign culture, people or religion, as it is scary to us. What we can do is educate, to use this as a teaching moment.”
The mural was painted by Mary Dill Henry around 1961 during a time when artists were commissioned to paint government and corporate buildings, according to the research report. In the 1930s and 40s, hundreds of controversial murals featuring Native Americans were painted on U.S. post offices during the New Deal under President Franklin Roosevelt. Henry also produced other artwork in the Bay Area, including at the Emporium in San Francisco and the First California State Capitol in Monterey.
County Deputy Executive Sylvia Gallegos told San José Spotlight the county takes a cautionary approach in removing art on its property, particularly when the artist hasn’t waived their rights. In a letter County Executive James Williams sent to the court, he suggested the mural remain uncovered, with an addition of a plaque to provide historical context and commentary on the painting.
“The mural presents a worthwhile opportunity for contemplation and public engagement with artwork and local history, with a recognition of the complexity and contested nature of the subject matter and the subjectivity involved in its depiction,” Williams said in the letter.
Raymond Goins, member of the NAACP San Jose/ Silicon Valley who is leading the effort to remove the mural, said some history shouldn’t be showcased.
“The Confederate flag is a historical piece of work, and we don’t fly that,” he told San José Spotlight.
The NAACP plans to meet with Santa Clara County Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga, whose district covers the Palo Alto court branch, to discuss removing or covering the mural.
Abe-Koga said the it’s important that all government facilities are inviting to everyone.
“As this mural is offensive to some members of our community, I support removing it,“ she told San José Spotlight.
Keep our journalism free for everyone!While the county does not want the mural to be removed, it will support a concealment of the mural paid for by the court.
“We don’t want to strip history from all of our contemporary spaces, but we do want a full context around imagery that promotes harmful narratives — like that of the altruistic priest civilizing savages,” Nijmeh told San José Spotlight. “Removing these depictions from the Palo Alto Superior Court is especially important because this building is tasked with rendering justice today.”
Racist? No.
Fugly? Yes.
Advocates day the mail is racist?
This means they are racists?
fine, then depict them how they truly were, depict them cutting the heads off of defeated enemies and with their slaves they captured on raids of other tribes.
Here’s an idea. Just post this sign next to the mural:
“If this mural offends you, don’t look at it.”
Let’s rewrite history.
I suppose they were all wearing three-piece suits back in the day.
The mural itself looks pretty innocuous.
Their kind see racism in cotton balls or Q-tips.
LOL! An honest appraisal. Looks like it was done by a high school art student.
It’s simplistic; sort of a mid-century vintage art from an encyclopedia.
Why does it omit the indigenous people doing human sacrifice?
I DO NOT REMEMBER ANY SHIPS LANDING AT SANTA CLARA.
yeah and take down those rainbow flags which many of us feel are very offensive.
RE: depict them cutting the heads off of defeated enemies and with their slaves they captured....
They captured whites as slaves, too.
I remember an interlibrary loan book a faculty member at my university borrowed. It was the memoir of a white girl captured from her family as it was raided and she was forced to be one of the slaves of the “native Americans.” She was belittled and mistreated. She had one shoe and one bare foot as she was forced to walk over land with the animals as the captors rode in wagons on their long trips.
Slavery is supposed to be wrong.
How about some reparations?
One ugly mural....wonder who did it and how much they got paid. I’m betting a Native American did it...since that appears to be the theme
“The Confederate flag is a historical piece of work, and we don’t fly that,” he told San José Spotlight.
And yet he doesn’t see any thing wrong with THAT statement...
Can we review this for 64 years? I wouldn't want to make any snap judgements.
Wonderful art work: Joseph Jacinto Mora Sold at Auction Prices- - - - -
Jo Mora's (1876-1947) whimsical map of the Grand Canyon, one of Mora's earliest maps from 1931.
This bright and colorful pictorial map provides a detailed look at the Grand Canyon, with marvelous vignettes scattered throughout the image. Joseph (Jo) Mora was a Uruguayan-born American cartoonist and illustrator, a pioneer of the 20th century pictorial map.
The map shows Native American motifs and numerous small illustrations and humorous text, like an illustration of a large donkey statue with the text, 'Proposed Monument to the Canyon's Unsung Heroes - To be erected by popular subscription'. Published by Jo Mora Publications, Monterey California, 1957, 15 x 19.25 inches.
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MORA, Jo (1876–1949). Yosemite. 1931 (1949 issue).
MORA, Jo (1876–1949). Yosemite. 1931 (1949 issue). Offset lithograph with a pictorial map of the National Park. The first printing of this map was in black and white in 1931.
Color printings were published in 1941 and 1949. This is the second color version, which included slight alterations including two men running from a skunk in place of the Coulterville Road sign at lower left of image. 19 x 15 ½”. Linen backed
So every image with Native Americans are racist?
Ahhh...the good old days.
The portrayal of our ancestors as scantily clad and kneeling before those religious clerics who enslaved us glosses over the reality of our existence
Are you trying to say that did not happen?
If it did, stfu.
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