Monuments, Remembrance, and the Slave Past

From the equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson in front of the White House to the Lincoln Memorial to Arlington National Cemetery, public monuments dot the landscape in the Washington area. Yet, many of us drive by them without giving much thought to their significance. But the meaning and significance of certain contemporary monuments are occupying the thoughts—and informing the work—of art historian Renée Ater. Ater draws focus to these monoliths of meaning and keys into several monuments to the slave past that have been recently added to the landscape, some of which are in Virginia, Maryland, and the District,

Drawing on her work with a digital research project titled Contemporary Monuments to the Slave Past: Race, Memorialization, Public Space, and Civil Engagement, Ater shares her perspective on remembrance and commemoration in public space, and how visualizing, remembering, and engaging with the past may help to transform the future.

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit