“In these toxic times art can help us transform and give us a sense of purpose. This story begins with my seeing the Confederate monuments. What does it feel like if you are black and walking beneath this? We come from a beautiful, fractured situation. Let’s take these fractured pieces and put them back together.” Kehinde Wiley
Analyze Kehinde Wiley's "Rumors of War." Use the Analyzing Memorials to understand it better.
Analyze a monument in your town or in a place you are traveling using the Analyzing Memorials worksheet.
No matter where you live, your community has a history. Is some of your community’s history unacknowledged or forgotten today? How might you discover and explore such histories? Could awareness of the past change your understanding of the place you call home?
What memorials, street names, building names in your town or region are based on people who lived in the past? Do some of these historical names symbolize people who were slaveholders, people who were treasonous, or people who represent ideas that dehumanize others? Do some of these names need to be changed? What could you do about this? Explain what needs to be changed and why. What information will be replaced? Create a detailed plan to acknowledge forgotten history of your town. Include a description of the goals of your project.