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Indiana University at Bloomington has faced periodic questions over a series of murals about the state created by Thomas Hart Benton for the 1933 Chicago World's Fair and later transferred to the university. One panel (at right) depicts a rally by the Ku Klux Klan, and some have demanded that it be taken down.
Lauren Robel, executive vice president and provost at Indiana, on Friday released a long review of the issues. In terms of the panel's history, she cites much evidence that Benton was criticizing the Klan and not in any way supporting the racist terror organization. At the same time, she notes that this may not be instantly evident to someone who views the panel. Currently the panel is in a room used as a classroom, and Robel wrote that this may make it impossible to provide the necessary context to understand the mural and its history. As a result, the university will keep the mural but will discontinue holding classes in that room.
