"Erasing History" SF Washington High & The Victor Arnautoff Murals

by WorkWeek

Thu, May 30, 2019 1:30PM

WorkWeek interviews historian, author and UC geographer Gray Brechin about the effort to destroy the George Washington High Victor Arnautoff murals. The murals show part of the real history of the United States.

original image (2048x1299)

Historian and geographer Gray Brechin talks about the effort to destroy the historic Victor Arnautoff murals at Washington High in San Francisco.

He discusses the history of the murals including their exposure of the history of George Washington. He also discusses other efforts to remove murals at Coit Tower and at Rincon annex because of their political content. This led to protests in the 30's and 50's by working people to protect the murals at Coit Tower and Rincon Annex.

This interview was done by Steve Zeltzer of WorkWeek on 5/28/19.

For additional media:

New Deal Murals Spur Controversy
https://livingnewdeal.org/new-deal-murals-spur-controversy/#comments

Victor Arnautoff: San Francisco's Master Muralist of the 1930's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5aYXYqcDNg&t=7s

These High School Murals Depict an Ugly History. Should They Go?
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/11/arts/design/george-washington-murals-ugly-history-debated.html

Murals at Washington High School Stoke Debate: Board to Decide Their Fate
https://sfrichmondreview.com/2019/04/30/murals-at-washington-high-school-stoke-debate-board-to-decide-their-fate/

Murals at Washington High School Stoke Debate: Board to Decide Their Fate
https://sfrichmondreview.com/2019/04/30/murals-at-washington-high-school-stoke-debate-board-to-decide-their-fate/

WorkWeek Radio
https://soundcloud.com/workweek-radio
Production of Labor Video Project
http://www.laborvideo.org

For more information: https://youtu.be/sxHijlewzoQ

§Washington And US Expansion

by WorkWeek

Thu, May 30, 2019 1:30PM

original image (2175x870)

One of the Victor Arnautoff murals shows Washington supporting the expansion west and which ended in the expropriation of native people in the United States

https://youtu.be/sxHijlewzoQ

§Artist Victor Arnautoff Self Portrait

by WorkWeek

Thu, May 30, 2019 1:30PM

Victor Arnaugtoff who is San Francisco's most famous muralist worked with Diego Rivera. He was was harassed and. targeted by the FBI during the witch hunts in the 1950s.

https://youtu.be/sxHijlewzoQ

§Refregier Murals At Coit Tower Showing The Struggle of Longshore Workers

by WorkWeek

Thu, May 30, 2019 1:30PM

Anton Refregier painted as well about the history of San Francisco and California and there were efforts to remove the murals at Rincon Annex by Richard Nixon for being un-American.

https://youtu.be/sxHijlewzoQ

§Some Washington High Students Say They Are Traumatized By Murals

by WorkWeek

Thu, May 30, 2019 1:30PM

original image (2048x1365)

Some African American and Native American students say they are traumatized by the Arnautoff murals and the majority of the San Francisco Unified School Board support the destruction of the murals. There is no funding to remove them so they would have to be destroyed.

https://youtu.be/sxHijlewzoQ

§Dewey Crumpler Mural At Georege Washington High

by WorkWeek

Thu, May 30, 2019 1:30PM