Norman Rockwell's iconic American artwork has become a focal point of contemporary political debate, as the Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security recently used his illustrations in social media posts promoting immigration enforcement. The controversy has reignited discussions about how Rockwell's work should be interpreted and whether his paintings represent inclusive American values or exclusionary idealism.
When asked about Norman Rockwell today, many millennials offer mixed responses ranging from "Americana" and "50s idealism" to images that seem "so perfect that it was almost campy." Some younger Americans struggle to identify the artist who created some of the 20th century's most enduring images, occasionally confusing him with other painters like Renoir or Andy Warhol. From 1916 to 1963, Rockwell painted cover art for the Saturday Evening Post, producing memorable scenes including families gathered around Thanksgiving tables, workmen on the Statue of Liberty's torch, and children chatting with friendly policemen at diner counters.
The recent controversy began when the Department of Homeland Security posted a Rockwell illustration on Facebook showing people gazing reverently at the American flag, originally painted for the Boy Scouts of America. The agency captioned the image "Protect our American way of life" as part of promoting the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Daisy Rockwell, the artist's granddaughter, strongly objected to this usage, calling it "a white supremacist message" because everyone in the painting is white and the messaging suggests "getting rid of all the other people."
The Rockwell family responded with outrage when they learned of the DHS social media posts. Daisy Rockwell drafted an op-ed letter that multiple family members signed, which was published in USA Today. The family argued that Norman Rockwell would have been "devastated" to see his paintings used to support anti-immigration policies, describing him as politically progressive and supportive of multicultural America.
Evidence of Rockwell's progressive political leanings appears prominently in his later work, particularly during the 1960s when he created striking images supporting the Civil Rights Movement and school desegregation. At age 70, he painted "The Problem We All Live With," depicting the 1960 New Orleans school desegregation crisis when four Black girls faced violent opposition while integrating white elementary schools. The painting shows a young Black girl in a white dress walking purposefully forward, protected by federal marshals, with only faint traces of racial slurs and thrown tomatoes visible in the background.
However, perceptions persist that Rockwell's work embodies essential conservatism. Artist Sylvio Lynch III, who wrote his dissertation on Rockwell at Bowling Green State University, explains that the artist's illustrations were often dictated by the commercial interests of publications like the Saturday Evening Post. "The Saturday Evening Post had a certain projection of images they wanted to portray, and that came with the exclusion of people of color," Lynch noted, adding that this context is often ignored when people interpret Rockwell's work.
The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, where the artist lived his final 25 years, houses many of his most significant works including the famous "Four Freedoms" series. These paintings were created in response to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1941 State of the Union address outlining four essential human freedoms and making the case for American entry into World War II. The paintings later toured the country as part of a war bond fundraising campaign.
"Freedom of Speech," one of the Four Freedoms paintings, depicts a working-class man in a worn coat addressing a crowd of well-dressed men at a town meeting. Museum chief curator Stephanie Plunkett explains that Rockwell based this on a real town meeting where a farmer objected to a school rebuilding proposal over tax concerns. "As Rockwell described it, he stated his case, no one screamed at him, everyone treated him respectfully," Plunkett said. "He sat down, and they voted to build the school."
The painting's meaning remains open to interpretation, potentially speaking to various political perspectives from MAGA supporters to progressive populists. Plunkett offers a more metaphorical reading: "This idea that the common man can be a great orator, and can express ideas in very articulate ways." She notes that visitors are sometimes moved to tears viewing the Four Freedoms, telling her the paintings remind them that "our freedoms are not guaranteed, and that we must fight to keep them."
Today, Rockwell's work frequently appears in internet memes, with his Thanksgiving dinner scene particularly popular for political and pop culture parodies. His granddaughter observes that "nowadays, for younger people, there's a lot less knowledge" about the artist, with some only recognizing him as "the Thanksgiving meme." The enduring power of Rockwell's imagery to evoke strong emotional responses across the political spectrum demonstrates how art created for commercial purposes decades ago continues to serve as a mirror for contemporary American values and conflicts.
