The Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia plans to display four controversial murals that were removed from the Georgia Department of Agriculture's building.

The murals depict the state's history of agriculture, beginning with a representation of Native Americans who originally lived in the region and including two that address slavery.

The murals are part of a series of eight painted by Atlanta-based artist George Beattie in 1956. They hung at the agriculture department until 2011, when newly elected Commissioner Gary Black decided to remove them.

The museum offered to exhibit them to promote discussion about what the murals portray, how they portray it and why they are controversial.

The murals will be on display from Aug. 1 through Jan. 7.

Tags: Georgia Department of Agriculture, George Beattie Jr., Georgia Museum of Art, agriculture murals