Immigration and Caricature July 5, 2009

The role of caricature and stereotype informing American values and attitudes, is what this exhibit examines through this collection of immigrant and ethnic caricatures from popular graphics dating primarily from the Civil War to World War I, a period of massive migration to the United States. To modern Americans, the contents are sometimes humorous and sometimes very disturbing. Nevertheless, the collection offers great insight into American cultural attitudes and is a remarkable resource for the study of American cultural history. These images remain a unique window on the past and an invaluable tool in exploring the roles that caricature and stereotypes played in influencing American values and attitudes about the multicultural development of the nation, issues that continue to impact our lives to this day.