A Time for Truth In every story there are unexpected complexities. My five cousins, lead by my cousin, Daisy Rockwell - the one family member on the Museum Board - took it upon themselves to approach the Norman Rockwell Museum this week without consulting my father and me. They perhaps wanted to ameliorate an increasingly tense situation in the midst of the nationwide coverage and the gathering momentum from this petition. But my cousins were also unquestionably looking out for their ongoing relationship with the Museum and its Director. A number of these family members, including my Uncles Peter and Jarvis, promote their artwork with the Museum's help. There has been talk in the last few years from Laurie about a family exhibit of three generations. When my father and I first questioned Laurie strongly for shirking her obligation to protect and preserve my grandfather's legacy after learning of her lavish endorsement and the televised Museum book launch in the beginning of the Solomon biography controversy in November/December 2013, these same family members objected, separating themselves from our side of the family after the first family statement and essentially protected Laurie. I only bring up this family division because when it occurred the first time both Solomon and Moffatt somehow found out about it and publicly outed the division and misrepresented it in 2014; Moffatt on WAMC radio referred to just "one branch of the family" - she said the upset over the Solomon book was not universal in the family - and Solomon on her book tour stated that it was only my father and me who had a problem with the book, the rest of the family didn't have an issue with it. (As far as I know only one cousin has read the Solomon book and stated their disapproval.) My father and I are the only ones who have really studied and researched the book. Daisy and her father, Jarvis, are the two members who didn't join the first family statement on December 3, 2013. Daisy felt it better that we not say anything about the biography. She had a connection with Solomon as an art critic; in fact, she emailed into a radio show that Solomon was on - Daisy wanted to promote her nearby art show - on the very day of the release of the first family statement. In summary - it is a small step but it is not enough that supposedly the Solomon book has been removed from being prominently displayed in the front welcoming hall to somewhere in the back of the gift shop. No one from the Museum has contacted me. I am not trying to censor a book or interfere with anyone’s first amendment rights. I am simply urging that this purported biography, which so falsely and unfairly portrays Norman Rockwell, not be sold in, of all places, the Norman Rockwell Museum. As Judy Cutler, Director and Co-Founder of the National Museum of American Illustration - a foremost Rockwell scholar and collector for almost 50 years - just wrote in a public comment: "I sincerely hope the Norman Rockwell Museum staff and its Board Members will see the light and properly honor Norman Rockwell by removing this absurd so-called biography from their Museum Shop’s book inventory. I am hopeful that the Norman Rockwell Museum will join us by supporting the Norman Rockwell family in their serious quest to protect the real, actual legacy of that great American Illustrator. The Norman Rockwell Museum as his namesake will hopefully stand strongly by Norman Rockwell and the Rockwell family." Laurie Norton Moffatt also needs to withdraw her endorsement. She should have observed the Museum's policy to remain neutral and to not endorse books. She needs to rectify that ill-informed judgment. This is a test of her character and integrity. The question few have asked? When facing the greatest public controversy in the Museum's almost 50 year history, why didn't the Museum Director and the Board launch their own in-depth investigation into this matter? Find out for themselves that Solomon had, indeed, falsified numerous sources and made other serious errors? That is the first step that any reasonable, earnest Museum Director and Board would have taken. Thank you all for signing and sharing our petition - let's gently crescendo our "joyful noise" into a symphony of "sweet justice". Each of you has truly made a difference. Signature by signature, person by person. The truth always wins out, it just takes time. This petition - and your extraordinary response - is now part of the history of the Norman Rockwell Museum. And the person who would be the most pleased? Pop, as we called him. He would be so heartened by your passionate, respectful outcry. Abigail Detail of "Valedictorian" by Norman Rockwell National Museum of American Illustration