SOE unveils new mural featuring Pops Peterson’s “Walk With Her”

The UC Riverside School of Education, or SOE, has introduced a new mural in Sproul Hall, featuring "Walk With Her," a piece by artist Maurice “Pops” Peterson. The artwork reinterprets Norman Rockwell’s iconic 1964 painting, “The Problem We All Live With,” which depicts Ruby Bridges, one of the first Black students to integrate into an all-white elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana.

"The Problem We All Live With" by Norman Rockwell

Bridges’ enrollment followed the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in “Brown v. Board of Education,” which declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Rockwell’s original painting, created during the civil rights movement, shows Bridges walking to school under the protection of federal marshals amid public opposition. The SOE selected “Walk With Her” to reflect its commitment to educational access and equity.

Peterson, a Berkshire-based artist, gained recognition for his 2015 series “Reinventing Rockwell,” which reimagined Rockwell’s midcentury artwork through a modern lens. One piece in his series “The Problem Persists” was inspired by the “Ferguson riots” which erupted after the police shooting of an unarmed Black man in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014. It provides an update from Rockwell’s “The Problem We All Live With” by placing Bridges in the riot's aftermath, surrounded by damaged buildings and rubble.

“The Ferguson riots tore my heart out,” said Peterson. “This happened 50 years after Rockwell’s painting. While progress has been made, there is still so much work to be done. I said, I've got to do something right now to make my statement.”

Peterson’s “Reinventing Rockwell” series was exhibited at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, from fall 2020 to summer 2021, marking the museum’s longest-running solo show. His work was featured in local newspapers, and in a segment on the CBS Sunday Morning show.

A grassroots cultural community in nearby Pittsfield, called the “West Side Legends,” was inspired by Peterson’s work and reached out to him, requesting he create a design featuring Bridges for a mural they planned. Peterson developed a design, which he named “Rainbow Ruby.” It was featured on a 30-foot mural.

A few years after its completion, the SOE reached out to Peterson for permission to use his artwork for a mural to be painted in Sproul Hall.

“We needed a mural that represented us and our mission,” said James Rowland, director of marketing and communications at SOE. “When we saw Walk With Her, we knew it was the perfect fit. It wasn’t just the name; it reflected what we believe in and aspire to do every day through our research and the students we support.”

Peterson granted UCR the rights to use his work free of charge.

“I want students to see Ruby as a symbol of determination,” Peterson said. “She didn’t know the impact of what she was doing at the time she just wanted an education. I hope this mural inspires students to pursue their education with that same level of perseverance.”

The mural is displayed in Sproul Hall’s Room 1212, now known as The “Ruby Room.”

“I often challenge my students when we're in there by asking them, ‘Where is Ruby walking?’” said Joi Spencer, dean of the SOE. “What are the new places that we have to walk around educational equity? Educational equity is always elusive to communities of color. It’s constantly elusive to folks who are minoritized.”

The official unveiling of “Walk With Her” will take place Feb. 26 at the Alumni and Visitors Center on campus. The event will celebrate the mural, highlight how art can inspire social change, and introduce artist Pops Peterson to the UCR community. It will provide opportunities for UCR students, local middle schoolers, community college students, and young artists to engage with and learn about Peterson’s work. The public, students, staff, and faculty are invited to attend.