Memories, Memorials, Collections and Commemorations

To understand how American culture thinks about the past, we will explore a range of texts including museum exhibits, historical society collections, memorials, and civic celebrations. These sites and objects, the material culture of memory, help us understand the construction of national, community and personal identity. Students will also undertake practical projects in memorialization and commemoration, among them designing the program for a new memorial to the Rhode Island slave trade. Enrollment limited to 20 juniors and seniors.