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SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) – The University of Notre Dame will be covering murals in a campus building representing Christopher Columbus in America, said the school's president, criticizing the fact that the images depict Native American female posers submitted before the white European explorers
The twelve murals created in the 1880s by Luis Gregori were intended to encourage immigrants who arrived in the United States during a period marked by an anti-Catholic sentiment. But they hide another aspect of Columbus: the exploitation and repression of Native Americans, said Reverend John Jenkins, President of Notre Dame.
This is "a darker aspect of this story, an aspect we must recognize," Jenkins said. in a letter Sunday.
The murals of the main building of the Catholic University are painted directly on the walls. Jenkins said they would be covered, although they could still be exposed to the opportunity. A permanent exhibition of photos of the paintings will be created elsewhere with an explanation of their context.
"We want to preserve originally designed works of art to celebrate immigrant Catholics who were marginalized in society at the time, but in a certain way. it avoids involuntarily marginalizing others, "said Jenkins
In 2017, more than 300 Notre Dame students, staff and alumni signed a letter in the campus newspaper calling for the removal of mural paintings. [19659002] The President of the Native American Student Association has praised Jenkins' decision
"It's a step forward in recognizing all the humanity of the natives who have brought us appeared, "said Marcus Winchester-Jones of Dowagiac, Michigan.
But the law of Our Lady Grant Strobl, student, stated that the decision was disappointing.
" If we adopt the standard of judging previous generations according to current standards, we risk reaching a point where celebrations, "said Strobl.
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