Civil Rights Era

If the 1950s signaled an increased role for the architect in the commissioning of public art, by the mid-1960s the “public” was back in public art. The community would become a more active participant in deciding who should make art for the schools and what the art should communicate.

Also during the period, opportunities to create public art became more available to a broader range of artists. Just as the New Deal provided work for women and African American artists and brought regional artists to national prominence, the civil rights movement brought still further visibility to African American and Latino artists and prompted exploration of new themes in public school art.