James C. Cobb on the George Beattie Murals at the Georgia Museum of Art
Channel: Georgia Museum of Art
Date: 2012-07-30

In 1956, George Beattie painted eight murals for the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Four of those murals addressed the history of agriculture in the state. In recent years, their content (which addresses slavery and the history of American Indians in Georgia) became recognized as offensive to many visitors to the building, and in 2011, Gary Black, the commissioner of agriculture, requested their removal. The Georgia Museum of Art (GMOA), which is the official state museum of art, agreed to take all eight murals to preserve them as an important part of the state's art history. The four history murals are on display at GMOA Aug. 1, 2012, to Jan. 7, 2013. 

The museum also created four videos to educate the public, provide context for the images and discuss exactly why they are problematic. This one features James C. Cobb, Spalding Distinguished Research Professor in UGA's history department and the leading scholar on Georgia history. Cobb discusses the context (including agricultural history) in which the murals were created and the influences that have shaped Georgia's identity over the years.