Talladega College is selling four out of six of its murals painted by Hale Woodruff and depicting key scenes of Black history. The HBCU made this decision in order to fund the school, which has been increasingly financially struggling in recent years. The paintings were sold with the intent of having them exposed to the public.
Historic Hale Woodruff paintings that are part of Talladega College’s heritage
Woodruff was commissioned to paint several paintings by the HBCU, which were completed between 1939 and 1942. Each one depicts different historic events representing the fights for freedom and the advancement of Black people in the United States.
He first painted “The Mutiny on the Amistad,” which depicts the Amistad saga. Woodruff then completed a second series for Talladega’s 75th anniversary, including a painting depicting the Underground Railroad and two others. The paintings took on an important place as part of the HBCU’s heritage.
“It’s not my place to tell an institution what to do, but that would be like giving up part of their soul,” Michael Lomax, the president and chief executive of the UNCF and a former professor at Morehouse and Spelman, told The New York Times.
“I would consider the Talladega murals to be a big part of their birthright. Those paintings will not have the same meaning if they’re put in a high-design building and a place that has nothing to do with the paintings.”
Lomax later learned that Talladega issued the sale in order to help support itself financially.
“What is the theme of the Amistad murals?” he then said. “It is freedom. And this is allowing them to have financial freedom.” He added, “It was a hard call, but they made the right call. They saved the institution.”
Talladega College is selling the murals to help with its finances
The HBCU has been facing financial struggles in recent years. It currently has an endowment of under $5 million, according to The New York Times.
Despite a $15 million credit union loan, the institution heavily relies on tuition fees to sustain itself. It recorded an enrollment of 745 this year, down from 1,291 in fall 2020.
“We had to look at every asset that we have,” Talladega board chair Rica Lewis-Payton said.
“It required deliberate thought and execution,” she said about the decision to sell four the six murals. “I sit here today feeling good that we are leveraging this most prized possession in a way that will improve the ability of the college to provide a foundational education for people like me.”
Although Talladega did not disclose how much the sale is worth, experts estimate it at $20 million.
“We can become a leader in the reimagining of liberal arts education,” Talladega president Willie Todd said. “I want every student to graduate with an internship or apprenticeship opportunity. And I want all of our programs to be connected to industry standards and accredited by national accreditors. That takes money.”
What happens to Hale Woodruff’s murals after Talladega College sells them?
Three of the murals depicting the Amistad saga are being sold to the Art Bridges Foundation and the Terra Foundation for American Art, two nonprofit organizations that lend art to public institutions. The Toledo Museum of Art is acquiring Woodruff’s painting of the Underground Railroad.
“This is an incredible painting that will be deeply meaningful for our audience,” the president of the Toledo Museum of Art Adam Levine, said. “My objective and the objective of the Toledo Museum of Art is to support Talladega College.”
Although the agreement hasn’t yet been finalized, the Toledo Museum and the foundations acquiring the paintings said they would highlight the art’s connection to Talladega. The paintings will also be exhibited at the HBCU every six to eight years.
Todd noted that the sale will also help give the murals more exposure, as only 500 people come to view them every year at Talladega.