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California Black History Under Attack, Bernard Zakheim’s UCSF Murals And Bridget “Biddy” Mason

Name: California Black History Under Attack, Bernard Zakheim’s UCSF Murals And Bridget “Biddy” Mason
Start: 2020-07-25T19:00:00-07:00
End: 2020-07-25T19:00:00-07:00
Location: Zoom

July 25, 2020 @ 7:00 pm PDT

This forum will look at the plans by the UCSF management and Chancellor to destroy the historic Bernard Zakheim mural which tells the history of Bridget “Biddy” Mason, an African American midwife who rose from slavery to become a midwife medical worker in California. Her life of struggle and success in California after freedom from slavery is a powerful story for the people of California and the United States particularly in the light of the BLM movement. Bernard Zakheim,. was one of many WPA artists during the 1930’s and early 1940’s who contributed to the history of working people in California. His depiction of the historic role of Biddy Mason and her historic role in California history is now threatened and this panel will look at Bernard Zackheim, the life of Biddy Mason. It will also connect the growing threat to other muralists such as Victor Arnautoff whose work is also threatened at George Washington High in San Francisco.
The struggle to protect these murals and their relevance today is a pressing issue for working people and the public.

Initial Speakers:
Nathan Zakheim – Zakheim’s son has been an expert in mural restoration for most of his career. He was responsible for restoring many important murals, including a WPA-era mural at San Diego State University, one of Edward Biberman’s iconic murals, some of his own father’s work, and the work of his father’s contemporary artist and activist Victor Arnautoff.
Temi Washington – great great granddaughter of Bridget “Biddy” Mason
Lope Yap Jr. – Vice President GWHSAA
Adam Gottstein – a native San Franciscan and the grandson of Bernard Zakheim

Bernard Zakheim and his son Nathan Zakheim

Description: Toland Hall Murals: an Oral History with Chauncey Leake. Dr. Leake discusses the frescoes painted by Bernard Zakheim in Toland Hall at the University of California, San Francisco. Helen Nahm, Dean emeritus of the UCSF School of Nursing (1958-1969) also participated in this program.