ARTH 398 - Slavery, Protest, and the Public Monument

The urge to publicly memorialize or condemn racially charged moments in American history has long roots. Students in this course will examine the full range and intent of such monuments, from works designed to commemorate abolition efforts, Emancipation, and Civil Rights activism; post-Reconstruction Confederate memorials erected to bolster the “Lost Cause” mythology of the Jim Crow era; and public installations by contemporary African-American artists whose work has powerfully challenged the legacy of the Confederate monument. Throughout the semester, students will consider the roles that urban planners, designers, politicians, university officials, and museum professionals have played in the discourse over race and the public memorial.

Credits 1