Repaint the racist mural in Red Hook, NY

I strongly urge you to repaint the mural that portrays such a negative image in our community. Thank you.

I’m an artist and paint murals for a living and would love to be a part of this . My number 3152696930

This progressive and visionary corner of the world needs to do better. Replace a mural glorifying slave labor with something that is uplifting to all.

We need to demand change

I am trying to find racism in it though. The woman has Caucasian features. Someone please point out African features on this mural! She actually looks southern European. Looks like my aunt! Also, I garden barefoot a lot...also love walking barefoot. On top of that, I know the artist who signed the mural, and in no way is she racist in real life or ever has been in 26 years that I have been in Red Hook. Red Hook has to stop being so pretentious and pick a fight where there is none. What I have experienced is that one does not need to be African and of color to be discriminated against in Red Hook, but now Red Hook wants to show how progressive they are in picking on a mural that doesn't even depict African features. I do not see what people are talking about and will not sign the petition.

Paint over the entire mural with black lives matter art!

Word has recently reached me about the petition to solve the urgent problem of the mural on the corner in the center of Red Hook. The basis of the effort is that the mural "depicts harmful imagery that negatively affects the people of color" who might see it. True, this is a little vague, but presumably this implies the possibility that as some folk of color or members of indigenous nations drive or walk through town, the mural might make them uncomfortable or--even more heinous!--offended. The grave importance of this controversy compels me to lend my voice to the fight against racism. I, too, am very offended by what's going on here! This is another appalling incident, just one more the endless stream of atrocities in Dutchess County's long, sordid history, of privileged white voices stealing the voices and opinions of folks of color, without their active consent or positive affirmation. (True, not all these abominable historic outrages involve apple-picking murals, but no matter--this one does. The outrageous part, which should be obvious to all culturally-sensitive and woke observers, is: Who are these rich white ladies to decide--no, dictate!--how black, brown, and indigenous folk should or should not feel as they interact with Red Hook? A moment's careful reflection reveals that this is an act of cultural appropriation of the aesthetic responses to art, just as Elvis Presley appropriated the music of rural bluesmen and rockabilly musicians of color. Forcing a structurally disadvantaged community into narrow, stereotyped racial mindsets is an echo of how the Massa forced them to pick cotton back in plantation times. Dictating that just because folks belong to some socio-racial strata, that they must be possibly offended by the mural, is just what it sound like: another brick in the wall of culturo-emotional dictatorship; another set of iron leg shackles on the emotional freedom of black and brown passers-by. The prejudiced expectation that folks o

What town officials allowed this to ever take up a public space to begin with? And what town officials have kept it so?? It is glorification of slavery. It is the furthering of white structured society. It is vile. Both the mural and this ugly structure need to be dismantled. Those of you trying to rest on your historian-esque laurels, your intentions to uphold something that should never have been valid in the first place, is repulsive. Hey look at that, you match with all of the other white supremacist constructs! Who exactly is in charge over there in your town?

6 years ago Featured

New York had a lot of slaves. The Livingston's were some of the notorious slave owners and traders in NYS in the 18th century. Funding over 15 slave ships. The farm that is depicted in this mural is one of the many Livingston farms in the area. It even says that on the plaque next to the mural.

GET RID OF IT!!!

To remove everything from history is absolutely ridiculous. What is this country coming to? Is every ethnic culture going to protest and want every piece of history that doesn’t depict them in a good light removed? Are people going to burn down the Holocaust museum too? These museums and monuments aren’t always there to “glorify” history. There are there to bring awareness of things, and not always pleasant things, in the world. Is American and world history going to be banned from schools too because people are too sensitive to learn how our ancestors lived? Come on people

A picture says different things to different people, what I see is history, not racism.

This is rediculous, don’t defile a historical painting because of your ignorance, there is little if any racism in Red Hook. The mural is not about slaves as New York didn’t have slaves, Add a plague to the bottom , explaining the history of the painting and it’s meaning. Then for those who know how to read can stop the ignorance which is the cause of most predjudice. Stop destroying America because your ignorance won’t allow you to understand history.

Every ethnic group has suffered some form of slavery and oppression .Learn, grow and live. Why is everyone so damn sensitive. By the way ,you might want to start by getting rid of you cell phones made by CCP slave labor.

Change the mural in red hook! Please! We need a change now!

We must outlaw all public displays of racism! Happy to sign❤️

All these monuments to the glory of slavery have to be removed - new generations need to learn real history and how to respect each other and work together for all of us.

Lord help this country. We need to unite and love. Not hate and fight!

To the artist of 'Harvest Past', My name is Carolyn E Herrera-Perez, my family first moved to Red Hook in 2000 and I am an alumnus of Red Hook High School as of 2011. I am an Ecuadorain-American woman who grew up in Red Hook with a culturally mixed family. I graduated in 2015 with my BA in Art History and a BA in Studio Art from SUNY Potsdam. Currently, I have the privilege of pursuing my master's degree in the History of Design and Curatorial Studies joint program of Parsons and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. I am currently a Curatorial Fellow in their Product Design and Decorative Arts department. I am sharing my academic history because I want you to know that like you, I believe in the power of art and image. Art can heal, and as it can facilitate that growth it can also perpetuate a lot of pain, and at its worst, it can even commemorate hate. I want you to know that with or without an intention to cause harm, this mural entitled “Harvest Past” preserves Red Hook, NY’s consistent disinterest in welcoming Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPoC) into their community. I am asking you to be a part of taking this mural down. It was only as I grew older that I realized that growing up in this small town wounded me. While I had plenty of support from friends, those friendships never made up for the active discrimination myself and my family have faced in Red Hook. I have been a victim of, witnessed and heard many events and stories of discrimination in this town. Many of these are far more painful and harmful than my experiences, but I think it would be unfair to speak for others. So, I will offer you my experience in hopes that it may activate you to recognize how this mural preserves racism. At times, discrimination was subtle- people asking me “what are you” and “where are you from” were curious questions that had me realize that I would always be seen as different. RHHS made their own mistakes, asking me and other BIPoC to lea

Given what I know about the intentions and character of the artist and the building owner, I do find the use of the word 'racist' to describe the mural to be problematic, as I would not use the word to describe either of them. But yes, given its impact as described in the petition's Statement of Purpose -- it's time for this mural to be removed or revised.