The Problem We All Live With Case Study Catherine Smith Description (Describe) Name of Art Work Artist

Issue !edium $ate Created )istorical Conte*t Comment The Problem We All Live With Norman Rockwell Racial se re ation and discrimination Paintin "oil on canvas# %&'( Post+,rown v ,oard of -ducation Su.reme Court decision "%&/(# The first all+white elementary school was dese re ated0 Racial se re ation and discrimination is the norm durin this time0 In addition to African+Americans1 American+Indians1 Chicanos and Women were also for in movements fi htin for e2ual ri hts and social chan e0 This .aintin was initially unveiled as a centerfold .icture in Look ma a3ine0 Readers of Look ma a3ines "White Americans# Civil Ri hts !ovement $urin this .eriod the Civil Ri hts movement was in its emer ent state althou h many ma4or events had aready taken .lace5 ,rown v ,oard of -ducation1 !ont omery ,oycott1 and the $es re ation of Little Rock Central )i h School0

Cultural Conte*t

!ethod of $iffusion Se mented Audience Tar et Intended Name of Social Movement Stage of Social Movement -mer ent

Coalescin 6r ani3in "bureaucrati3in #

$eclinin

The movement was be innin a new level or or ani3in 0 Some of the ma4or or ani3ed events of this time were Sit+ins1 freedom rides1 voter re istration rallies and the !arch on Washin ton0

Result of Movement and Arts (Describe) Success

The Civil Ri hts !ovement resulted in the .assa e of the Civil Ri hts Act of %&'(1 the 7otin Ri hts Act of %&'/1 the Immi ration and Nationality Services Act of %&'/ and the 8air )ousin Act of %&'90 Rockwell:s The Problem We All Live With was successful in ca.turin the cultural reality of

the times de.ictin racism in all it:s u liness0 It also served as an indicator that the Civil Ri hts !ovement was rowin in momentum and stren th0 8ailure Coo.tation Re.ression !ainstreamin Type of Social Movement (Describe) Alternative Reformative Redem.tive Revolutionary

The Civil Ri hts !ovement chan ed the course of history0 The landmark civil ri hts court decisions that came out of this movement laid the foundation for other ma4or history .olitical and social movements such as the Women:s !ovement and the L;,T !ovement0 The Problem We Live With can evoke many different emotions de.endin on the .erson viewin it0 This .iece evokes an er in those who understand the dama in effects of racism and seek e2uality and acce.tance of all0 This .iece may evoke shame in those who finds hatred and bi otry acce.table0 This .iece ins.ired ho.e in the lives of African+ Americans durin this time of racial se re ation and still ins.ires ho.e today for many who continue to fi ht for e2uality for all humanity0 The .rimary values tar eted in this .iece are social 4ustice and racial e2uality0 Rockwell:s beliefs in reference to what is shown in the .aintin is not clearly im.lied or stated0 )e 4ust seeks to want to ca.ture the reality of racism0

Content (Describebased on orld vie analysis) -motional A..eal "-motions -voked#

Primary 7alue Tar eted ,elief Statements Im.lied or Stated !roader Result (Describe) Ideolo ical "he emonic# Normative "culturally1 .olitically# Resistant ".rotest#

This painting is resistant to the dominant culture, of this time and even Rockwells conservative nature.

This piece was unlike any painting Rockwell had done previously. Instead of the picture perfect white family setting that was the usual focus of his work this time a young black girl and racism were vividly displayed. Creative "ntent Reflective "commentary only# Reactive ".rotest# Proactive "instructive# Artistic Analysis Symbols "includin te*t# used + 8our marshals shown from the shoulder down1 the lead with the court order in his .ocket su ests that the law has no face but de.icts that it is reater than racism A yellowish colored stone wall with <Ni er= and <>>>= racial slurs and a red tomato smashed on the wall on it em.hasi3es the harshness of racism and hatred0 A little black irl "child# in a starched white dress si nifyin innocence0 The child:s confident stature de.icts her as a .rota onist versus victim0 Rockwell was no doubt influenced by the story of Ruby ,rid es in his creation of the .iece1 but his commentary e*tends only as far as to show the .roblem0

+ +

Style Refinement !asic Artifactual "nformation# In this cell redraw the ima e with the ma4or symbols and their intended and received meanin s to the tar eted audience0 In other words1 what communicates and how0 If this is a son 1 drama or .oem?list the words and .hrases that s.eak to the issue0

T$e %roblem &e All 'ive &it$ Norman Rockwell %&'(

Ruby ,rid es on the first day of school at all+white William 8ran3 -lementary School on November %(1 %&'@0 Discussion# ,ased on your discussions above and other information you may have discovered1 what ives this work credibility as a socially transformative e*am.leA 8ifty years later1 The Problem We All Live With still serves as a symbol of the .ower to overcome racism0 This iconic .icture not only de.icts former culture we have1 but hel.s us to reali3e how far we have come as a .eo.le0 8rom Buly to 6ctober of C@%% this .aintin hun on the wall outside the oval office at the re2uest of President ,arak 6bama1 the first African+American President of the Dnited States