The guiding questions of this Learning Lab are

• What is visual art’s connection to historical events? Why is it important that we recognize these connections?

• What does studying art add to our understanding of historical events and time periods?

The goals of this Learning Lab are

• Bridge the gap in understanding between art analysis and historical analysis
• Explore the inherent ties between art pieces and their surrounding historical context
• Introduce the foundations of formal art analysis and develop close looking skills for visual art pieces

If you are new to Learning Lab, visit https://learninglab.si.edu/help/getting-started to learn how to get started!

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Special thanks to National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), the National Museum of American History (NMAH), Smithsonian Folkways, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) for inspiring this learning lab and for their resources.

Keywords: Portraiture, African American, American, Selma, Alabama, visual art, Civil Rights Movement, United States, visual literacy