Norman Rockwell ‘Boy Scouts' art auctioned to compensate sexual abuse survivors

Five Norman Rockwell works of art go up for auction Friday, with the proceeds going to compensate thousands of survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

One is called “Homecoming,” depicting the return of a scout to his family in the 1950s.

Another, “To Keep Myself Physically Strong," shows a scout using a measuring tape to gauge the chest circumference of another scout.

Each piece was created by iconic artist Norman Rockwell, commissioned for, and owned by the Boy Scouts of America.

Doug Kennedy of Virginia is part of a committee of survivors of childhood sexual abuse experienced while scouting. He’s worked the last three years plus to ensure other survivors receive compensation from the Boy Scouts' bankruptcy four years ago.

“Personally, what comes up for me is very mixed feelings,” Kennedy said.

The five Rockwell pieces, which include four paintings and one charcoal piece, are part of 25 Scouting-owned artworks up for auction Friday.

It represents a small part of the assets, including real estate, that the organization is selling to place into a trust for survivors like Kennedy.

“I recognize that these are artworks by famous artists and are part of our nation's history, but unfortunately, so too are the decades of abuse also part of our history. So, for me, it's a reminder of both those things, quite frankly,” Kennedy said.

John Humphrey, who lives in North Texas, is a survivor, too. He told NBC 5 the trust is evaluating over 60,000 abuse claims as part of the scouting bankruptcy payout plan. 

He said his emotions regarding the artwork are relatively muted and he can separate the quality of the artwork from the organization that commissioned the works and failed to safeguard thousands of boys from decades of abuse.

“I can separate them. I would hope people looking at it can, too,” Humphrey said. “And, that hopefully, we raise enough money to get some real dollars to survivors.”

The Irving-based organization, which is rebranded as Scouting America, told NBC 5 in a statement that it was dedicated to fully compensating survivors of abuse in scouting.

“The funds generated by the auction of these artworks will go towards the $2.45 billion BSA settlement trust, which has already begun providing payments and is only a portion of the funds that Scouting America has pledged to ensure survivors are fully compensated for their injuries,” a spokesperson said.

Late Thursday, Dallas-based Heritage Auctions, which was chosen by the BSA settlement trust to auction items, had a bid on its website for one of Rockwell’s paintings at $420,000.  Online bidding started at $100,000.

“My hope is that there is a massive bidding war, quite frankly,” Kennedy said.

“I want to see the trust get every single dime it can from the sale of any property of the scouts because, quite frankly, survivors deserve it.”