Isabel Bate facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Isabel Bate
Born	1909 (1909)
Died	1995 (aged 85–86)
Nationality	American
Known for	Muralist
Spouse(s)	Harold Black

Isabel Bate (1909–1995) was an American artist. She was famous for her art during a tough time in American history. This was when the government created the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to help people find jobs. Isabel worked with her husband, Harold Black, who was also an artist. They lived in New York City.

One of their biggest projects was for the WPA. They were asked to paint eight large murals for a post office in Salina, Kansas. Even though they finished the murals and sent them, they were never put up. Isabel Bate also helped draw pictures for a book called The Kaw: The Heart of a Nation in 1941. Her art was even shown in a big exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in 1940.

The Salina Post Office Murals

In 1942, Isabel Bate and Harold Black finished eight murals. They shipped these large artworks from New York to Salina, Kansas. These murals were meant for the local U.S. Post Office.

There are different stories about what happened next. Some reports say the murals never arrived in Salina. Other stories, like one in Time magazine, say they did arrive. However, the Postmaster, Robert Pafford, supposedly did not like the art.

He reportedly put the crated murals into storage. He claimed the post office was too busy to install them. This was during the early years of World War II. Seven years later, Isabel and Harold (who were divorced by then) asked for the murals to be installed.

But Postmaster Pafford still refused. He said Salina had the most beautiful post office. He didn't want it "ruined" with pictures he disliked. Because of this, the murals were never put on display in the post office.