After being a staple of children’s reading for decades, it seems Dr. Seuss is always in the headlines these days. The latest news relates to a mural outside the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum in Massachusetts that was displaying a mural relating to the author’s first book, “And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street.”

The offensive part of the mural involves a character who was originally called the “Chinaman.” It depicts what has now been dubbed a “jarring racial stereotype,” showing a Chinese man with a pointed hat, “slanted slit eyes and a pointed hat, running with a bowl and a set of chopsticks.

After three authors complained about the mural, the museum has agreed to replace it.

Caricature from Dr. Seuss book 'offensive'

As reported by the Washington Post, the book in question was originally published way back in 1937 and reportedly in later editions, the image was altered to avoid offending anyone. The publishers removed yellow pigmentation from the caricature’s image and hair and he was dubbed a “Chinese man” rather than the original “Chinaman.”

In the letter, included in a tweet below, the authors Mike Curato, Lisa Yee and Mo Willems explained why they would not be attending the book festival.

They state that the caricature is “deeply hurtful” and said they are concerned about children’s exposure to the racial stereotype. They went on to say that while the image was considered amusing to some people when it was published in 1937, it is deeply offensive in 2017.

Initially, the administration of the museum had reportedly said it wasn’t their responsibility, adding this responsibility lay with visitors in the contextualization of the painting for their children.

The letter went on to say it was hard to fathom how the museum can believe it has no obligation to the many children, including future authors, who might believe this form of racism to be acceptable.

However, the museum did respond to their complaints, agreeing to replace the offending mural with something different, saying they feel this is what Dr.

Seuss would have wanted them to do. They said it will be replaced with a new mural depicting the “wonderful characters and messages” from the author’s later works, adding that Dr. Seuss himself would have enjoyed being part of a dialogue for change.

However, despite the controversy being handled and the mural changed, the book festival, set for October 14, was reportedly canceled for unknown reasons.

As noted by The Blaze, this is the second Dr. Seuss controversy in recent days. It was reported last week that a librarian at an elementary school in Cambridge, Mass., had attacked both First Lady Melania Trump and the Education Secretary Betsy DeVos after the First Lady donated a set of Dr.

Seuss books to the school. According to the Liz Phipps Soeiro, the author’s children's books are “clichéd” and “racist.” However, it was later revealed that the teacher in question had previously worn a costume relating to a Dr. Seuss character in the library.
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