Immigration and Caricature:
Ethnic Images from the Appel Collection

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"Interesting display depicting both realities and conceived realities of the attitudes faced by immigrants—provoking."

"Very telling of the social un-consciousness of the time. Very revealing, unsettling and truthful."

—Visitor comments, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Kalamazoo, MI

SCHEDULE FOR 2008-09:

The Arkell Museum at Canajoharie
Canajoharie, New York
March 8 - June 8, 2008

Macomb Cultural Center
Macomb Community College
Clinton Twp., Michigan
September - December 2008

New Americans Museum
San Diego, California
February 21 - April 26, 2009

This exhibition has been displayed at the following sites: The Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies, Philadelphia, PA; Dreams of Freedom Museum, Boston, MA; Immigration Law Foundation, Washington, DC; Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Kalamazoo, MI; Michigan State University Museum, East Lansing, MI; South Dakota State Historical Society, Pierre, SD.

This exhibition explores the role of caricature and stereotype in forming American values and attitudes about the multicultural development of the United States. It utilizes a 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, 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.

The items used in this exhibition consist of a variety of print media such as cartoons, postcards, trade cards, and prints and lithographs, all of which come from over 4,000 pieces donated to the MSU Museum by Dr. John and Selma Appel. Materials from their collection have been loaned to numerous exhibitions on ethnic images and immigration throughout the United States and the Appels have written many publications on the subject.

Rental fee (4-week period) :	$1,500, plus shipping
Number of pieces:	37 framed works
Running feet required:	50-75 running feet
Insurance Value:	$16,750
Security requirement:	Lockable, limited access display area; trained guards or comparable protection system; provisions to prevent public from touching objects; object handling by museum professionals; temperature and light controls; fire protection according to local ordinances
Additional materials available:	Press materials

To purchase the publication, Pat-Riots to Patriots: American Irish in Caricature and Comic Art and other merchandise from the Michigan Traditional Arts Program Store, Click Here.

This exhibition was funded by John and Selma Appel and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

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This is an activity supported by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs