About Picturing America
Great art speaks powerfully, inspires fresh thinking, and connects us to our past.
Picturing America, an exciting new initiative from the National Endowment for the Humanities, brings masterpieces of American art into classrooms and libraries nationwide. Through this innovative program, students and citizens will gain a deeper appreciation of our country’s history and character through the study and understanding of its art.
The nation’s artistic heritage—our paintings, sculpture, architecture,
fine crafts, and photography—offers unique insights into the character,
ideals, and aspirations of our country.
Picturing America, a far-reaching new program from the National Endowment
for the Humanities in cooperation with the American Library Association, brings
this vital heritage to all Americans.
By bringing high-quality reproductions of notable American art into public
and private schools, libraries, and communities, Picturing America gives participants
the opportunity to learn about our nation’s history and culture in a
fresh and engaging way. The program uses art as a catalyst for the study of
America—the cultural, political, and historical threads woven into our
nation’s fabric over time.
Collectively, the masterpieces in Picturing America, used in conjunction
with the Teachers Resource Book and program Web site, help students experience
the humanity of history and enhance the teaching and understanding of America’s
past.
About Picturing America from Humanities, September/October 2007, Volume 28/Number 5
