Norman Rockwell vs. The Department of Homeland Security!

From Francesca Aton's 11-4-25 ARTNEWS article entitled "Norman Rockwell’s Family Speaks Out About Homeland Security’s Misuse of His Artwork":

The descendants of Norman Rockwell are speaking out against social media postings by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that they say misuse the artist’s work.

Since this summer, the DHS has shared reproductions of Rockwell’s paintings on its X, Instagram, and Facebook accounts that promote anti-immigrant rhetoric.

The first, posted on August 20, depicts Rockwell’s Salute the Flag (1971) with the caption, “Protect our American way of life.” The painting predominantly features white people in early to mid-20th century clothing revering the US flag. Together, the painting and caption promote a conservative white populace free from diversity.

The second, posted on September 29, showed Rockwell’s Working on the Statue of Liberty (1946), depicting the famous statue’s raised arm, superimposed with the phrase “Protect your homeland and defend your culture,” along with a link encouraging citizens to “become a homeland defender today.” The caption included a quote from former US president Calvin Coolidge, reading, “Those who do not want to be partakers of the American spirit ought not to settle in America.”

A third, also posted on September 29, featured Rockwell’s And Daniel Boone Comes to Life on the Underwood Portable (1923), depicting a young boy’s vision of the American frontiersman holding a rifle as he writes, accompanied by the caption “Manifest Heroism.”

“If Norman Rockwell were alive today, he would be devastated to see… that his own work has been marshaled for the cause of persecution toward immigrant communities and people of color,” Rockwell’s family wrote in a recently published op-ed article in USA Today [...].

In a statement of solidarity, the Rockwell family concluded their op-ed by saying, “Now is the time to follow in his footsteps and stand for the values he truly wished to share with us and all Americans: compassion, inclusiveness and justice for all.”

This is not the first time that the DHS has misused artwork on their social media accounts to spread bigotry and hateful rhetoric. In July, the DHS shared Thomas Kinkade’s Morning Pledge with the caption “Protect the Homeland.” The artist’s foundation denounced the usage of the painting to promote “division and xenophobia.”

To read the entire article, click HERE.