Airport mural covered up - for the summer
Work began this week on a new summer display in the same case that houses a prominent aviation history mural at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.
The encased mural is located on the lower level of the airport’s main terminal between the baggage carousels and the airport chapel. Part of the mural was still visible through wooden frames that have gone up, but part of it is obscured by wooden panels that have been painted white.
“We are putting a very large protective covering over the mural,” said Lambert spokesman Jeff Lea. “So that when our temporary display is done, then we will pull it back and have our Reinhardt mural back in its original condition.”
Lea wouldn’t comment on the nature of the temporary display that will greet travelers throughout the summer, when St. Louis will be hosting Major League Baseball’s All-Star game.
But temporarily covering it this summer with a ”bright” temporary display, Lea said, is not an editorial comment on the mural.
“Absolutely not,” Lea said. “This has been in place for many, many years. It’s something different to have at the airport, and especially this summer with the increased traffic that we’ll probably get not only from the summer travel season but the All-Star game.”
A nearby airport mural - this one by artist Spencer Taylor - paying tribute to African-Americans’ role in aviation will not be covered up by a temporary display, Lea added.
The airport authority is not being truthful. They’re covering that thing up because they’re ashamed of it. And for good reason.
First thing I want to say is that I’m white. But I worked at the airport for years and was always embarrassed by that stupid Reinhardt mural. It supposedly tells the story of the “history of flight” yet doesn’t include a singe person of color. What, Reinhardt never heard of the Tuskegee Airmen? How about Bessie (Queen Bess) Coleman, an early aviation pioneer? There’s lots of folks he could have included, but didn’t. So eventually, people complained and money was raised for a second mural - this one about African-American aviators. Now, when travelers go to pick up their luggage they see the black mural and then the white mural. Message: Welcome to segregated St. Louis! It’s a huge embarrassment to our city.
Give me a couple of cans of paint and a roller and I’ll get rid of that stupid Reinhardt mural in an hour. It’s a constant insult to minorities and besides, his airplanes don’t even look authentic. They’re all blimpy.
BTW, the people who created the “black” mural displayed true class by including a couple of whites for praise…Harry Truman (who integrated the armed forces) and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Tear down the Reinhardt mural!