How did Americans learn to visualize race? How did certain groups resist others' efforts to depict them? Who were the first Americans? Was the United States a nation of many races, one race, or an idea that transcended race? How did artists address these issues in the century of Manifest Destiny, Civil War, and the widespread dissemination of pictures? These are the questions our seminar will address as we study paintings, drawings, sculpture, illustrations, photographs, cartoons, advertisements, and even some buildings designed in the United States in the Nineteenth century. We will work with archival sources on campus and visit the Detroit Institute of Arts; our readings will include primary documents as well as recent interpretations.

This year we'll pay special attention to examples of museums' recent efforts to rethink their telling of the story of art and race in Nineteenth-century America.

Textbooks/Other Materials: Angela Miller et al, American Encounters (textbook available for free online); Paul Boyer, American History: A Very Short Introduction recommended; online readings in Canvas

Course Requirements: Attendance and informed participation in class discussion; Posts to online discussion forum; short papers based on original 19 th century pictures and documents; at least one of these papers will involve historical research and be developed into a longer paper.

Intended Audience: Students ready to take on a challenge and participate in class discussion. Some prior background in art history or American studies is helpful, though not required.

Class Format: Undergraduate seminar.

Estimated Cost of Materials: Less than $15

HISTART Concentration Distributions: Europe and the US, Modern and Contemporary

This course qualifies as an approved elective for the Museum Studies Minor