St. Johns’ historic WPA-era murals covered up

The large WPA-era murals from 1936 in the former St. Johns Post Office at 8720 N. Ivanhoe St. have been covered up by the current building owner, the Portland Bahá’í Center, because of objections to the display. The faith group, which has owned the building since 1992, is seeking to have the murals relocated.

The massive murals are located high on opposite sides of the foyer of the old post office building and offer a depiction of the history and industrial development of St. Johns with major pioneers and leaders highlighted. 

These and similar New Deal murals were painted in post offices throughout the U.S. during the Great Depression to boost national morale and share art with everyday people. The murals were commissioned by the Treasury Department with a different mission in mind than the Works Progress Administration. The goal was not to create jobs, but high-quality public art by established artists. John Ballator was chosen as the main artist for the project. Assistants were Eric Lamade and Louis DeMott Bunce. All three went on to become established artists.

Bunce became a legendary Northwest painter. Ballator was a painter, muralist, and art educator who later founded the Roanoke Fine Arts Center. Lamade was a wood sculptor and painter who went on to create artwork and sculpture for Timberline Lodge as well as murals for Portland public schools. He also wrote a book on craftsmanship for artists detailing methods in various media.

For the post office murals, the artists were tasked with researching the individual communities for which they were painting. They consulted with residents and postmasters to find meaningful subjects. This local flavor is what makes each mural unique.

Minority depictions

In reviewing the St. Johns murals, it is apparent that women are depicted fairly passively, there is one person of color, and class divisions are obvious. Idealized workers representing the working class are running machinery and using tools. The movers and doers, all white males, are almost always depicted in suits.

One irony is clear. Although the mural artists were required to research individual communities, it appears they did not research local minorities or Native American culture, dress and appearance in our area. The sole person of color depicted in the mural (on far right of the north wall panel) does not in any way resemble the Multnomah Chinook people original to our community. Instead, he is presented as a stereotype.

Worse, he is seen quietly and peacefully looking on as the white pioneers and business leaders take center stage, as if approving the whole enterprise.

In reality, there was not a peaceful giving up of territory or peaceful approval. With European invasion, the local Natives understood that their livelihood was being threatened and they fought back. The records show there was violence and war as described in historic records such as Indian War in the Pacific Northwest: The Journal of Lieutenant Lawrence Kip.

Neither the Native’s appearance nor reaction to European settlement as depicted in the murals is historically accurate. 

It’s easy to see how the mural viewpoint could be harmful to current Native Americans, but also to anyone viewing them, because the scenes perpetuate and reinforce stereotypes and belief in the concept of manifest destiny, the notion that European culture is superior to others. It was the idealogical basis for forced removal of Native people from the land. 

Cultural shift

The murals reflect a time in which the dominant cultural viewpoint was accepted without question. Although it still is to some degree, diversity has become more appreciated. It has been recognized that great harm was done to Native Americans during European settlement. A primary concern with the murals is balancing historical preservation with avoidance of perpetuating harmful stereotypes. 

Going forward, options could include:

• Removal: an admission that the harmful stereotypes will continue to harm all who view the murals.
• Extended wall labels or kiosks: Provide additional information that explains the context in which the artwork was created.
• Complementary programming: Organize lectures, panels, or workshops that address the problematic aspects of the work and explore its impact.
• Counter-narratives and juxtaposition: Exhibit the historical work alongside a piece by a contemporary artist from the depicted minority group. This highlights the contrast between the historical misrepresentation and the community’s authentic self-portrayal.

The North Peninsula Review wants to know your thoughts about the St. Johns Post Office murals. Are there options beyond the ones listed you’d like to see? Let us know at NPeninsulaReview@gmail.com.

In response to an inquiry by the North Peninsula Review, Patti Ng, Assistant to the Secretariat, Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Portland, sent this message:

Why we covered the murals

In 1936, during the Great Depression, the U.S. Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned a series of murals for the St. Johns Station post office in Portland. These works were part of the New Deal’s broader effort to uplift the American people during a time of deep economic hardship. As President Franklin D. Roosevelt expressed, the goal was to support art that was:

“Native, human, eager and alive – all of it painted by their own kind in their own country, and painted about things they know and look at often and have touched and loved.“ (Delahaye, 2020)

While this initiative provided meaningful employment to artists and sought to reflect the American experience, the context in which these murals were created must be acknowledged. At the time, Oregon had exclusionary laws and a social climate that marginalized many communities, particularly people of color. As a result, the vision of art “painted by their own kind” often excluded diverse voices and perspectives, reflecting a narrow and incomplete view of American life.

Today, the former post office is home to the Portland Bahá’í Center, a sacred space dedicated to the worship of God, the promotion of unity, and the service of humanity. Bahá’í Centers are designed to be places where all people – regardless of race, background, or belief – feel welcomed, valued, and spiritually uplifted. Central to the Bahá’í Faith is the principle of the oneness of humanity: the belief that all people are equal members of one human family.

The continued prominent display of murals created in a time and spirit that excluded many from that shared human identity does not align with the spiritual purpose of this space. While we recognize the historical and artistic value of the murals, their message and context create confusion when displayed in a house of worship that is deeply committed to racial unity and justice.

For this reason, and in consultation with the murals’ owner – the United States government – the Portland Bahá’í Community has formally requested that the murals be relocated to a more appropriate setting, such as a museum or cultural institution where they can be viewed in proper historical context.

In the interim, and in accordance with the deed’s requirement to preserve them, the murals have been respectfully covered. This action serves both to protect the artwork and to affirm the Bahá’í community’s commitment to upholding the sacred principle of the oneness of humanity within its walls.