Resources
Artworks List & Art Related Resources
In addition to the artworks discussed throughout this unit, the following works represent a small selection of additional artworks educators can use to expand upon the themes and concepts explored with students. These examples are part of a larger, ever-growing collection that includes artworks referenced throughout this unit, as well as additional suggested artworks organized by unit section and available through the digital resources link below. As new artists, artworks, and connections emerge, this collection can continue to grow alongside the unit.
Additional works of art for each section can be found at the following resource: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vhIPtbhdrnC3ZF24f7LKRD2m-xVb4GhBbXzK37seUkg/edit?usp=sharing
Representations of Toussaint Louverture: Comparative Study:
Maurin, Nicolas Eustache. Toussaint Louverture. 1832. Lithograph.
Rigaud, Louis. Toussaint L’Ouverture. 19th century. Oil on canvas. Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, New Haven, CT.
Lawrence, Jacob. The Life of Toussaint L’Ouverture. 1936–1938. Series of 41 tempera paintings on paper.
Students should compare representations of Toussaint Louverture by French, Haitian, and Black American artists to examine how race, culture, power, and perspective influence how historical figures are represented and remembered. The comparison encourages students to question who has the authority to construct historical narratives and how artists can challenge or reclaim earlier representations.
Butler, Bisa. I Go to Prepare a Place for You. 2021. Cotton, silk, and velvet. Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, DC.
Students can examine Butler's quilted portrait of Harriet Tubman to explore how artists can preserve and reclaim histories through contemporary art. The work encourages students to consider how materials, symbols, and cultural traditions can honor historical figures while connecting past acts of resistance to the present.
Ringgold, Faith. The American People Series #18: The Flag Is Bleeding. 1967. Oil on canvas. Collection of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC.
Students should analyze The Flag Is Bleeding to examine how artists use national symbols to address inequality and social conflict. The painting encourages discussion about patriotism, justice, and the role of art in advancing conversations about social change.
Guerrilla Girls. Do Women Have to Be Naked to Get into the Met. Museum? 1989. Poster.
Students can examine the Guerrilla Girls' poster to investigate how artists challenge exclusion and inequality within cultural institutions. The work encourages students to question who decides which artists are represented, valued, and remembered in museums.
The NAMES Project Foundation. The AIDS Memorial Quilt. 1987–present. Community memorial quilt.
Students can examine the AIDS Memorial Quilt to explore how collaborative craft can preserve memory, honor lives lost, and advocate for social change. The quilt demonstrates how individual acts of remembrance can unite to create one of the largest examples of collective artistic activism in history.
Teacher Bibliography
Ai, Weiwei. “Biography.” Essay. In Later Works, 142–43. Pistoia, Italy: Gli Ori, 2023.
This is a great resource for a biography on Ai Wei Wei and visual collection of his later works.
Ai, Weiwei. On Censorship. London, UK: Thames & Hudson, 2026.
A great resource about Ai Weiwei’s experience with censorship and how he responds artistically to its impact.
Azoulay, Audrey. “UNESCO’s Action in the Gaza Strip / Palestine.” UNESCO, January 15, 2024. https://www.unesco.org/en/gaza.
This is a great source for more background information about the destruction and preservation of culture in Palestine.
Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. London, N/A: Pelican, 1972.
A philosophical resource that I used to introduce visual literacy and support the idea that meaning in art is constructed rather than simply observed. Berger argues that the way we interpret images is influenced by what we know and believe.
Boylan, Alexis L. Visual Culture. of the Essential Knowledge Series. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 2020.
This is a great resource for background knowledge on Visual Culture and answering the questions of who, what, where, when, why, and how.
Braunschweig, Beatrice von. “Ghent Museum Refuses Return of Nazi-Looted Painting.” Deutsche Welle, December 23, 2025. https://www.dw.com/en/ghent-museum-refuses-return-of-nazi-looted-painting/video-75276542.
A great source for more information about a current day dilemma of a museum and the consequences of the Nazi Regime’s theft/collection and destruction of artworks.
Brown, Nicole E, Kaila Bussert, Denise Hattwig, and Ann Medaille. “Keeping up with...Visual Literacy | Association of College and Research Libraries.” American Library Association. Accessed July 13, 2026. https://www.ala.org/acrl/publications/keeping_up_with/visual_literacy.
An informational source about Visual Literacy and resources to help you incorporate it into your classroom.
Byrd, Cathy. “Concerning a Cultural Dilemma.” Essay. In Potentially Harmful: The Art of American Censorship, 6–14. Atlanta, Georgia: The Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design Gallery, 2006.
A great resource on censored art in America and the effects and consequences of that censorship. Includes great visual representations of artworks and artists’ backgrounds to help support the idea of art censorship.
Carbone, Teresa A., and Kellie Jones, eds. Witness: Art and Civil Rights in the Sixties. New York: The Monacelli Press, 2014.
A wonderful collection of information and artworks exploring the history, art, and society of the Civil Rights era and the role art played in creating social change.
Camara, Esperança. “Smarthistory – Michelangelo, Last Judgment, Sistine Chapel.” Smart History, November 28, 2015. https://smarthistory.org/michelangelo-last-judgment/.
A resource for background and analytical information about Michelangelo’s Last Judgement/Sistine Chapel.
Chernick, Karen. “How a New Generation of Native American Street Artists Is Leaving Its Mark Across the United States.” artnet, June 30, 2020. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/native-american-street-art-1757085.
A wonderful resource about Native American Street Artists in the United States.
Curry, Andrew. “Here Are the Ancient Sites Isis Has Damaged and Destroyed | National Geographic.” National Geographic, September 1, 2015. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/150901-isis-destruction-looting-ancient-sites-iraq-syria-archaeology.
A great resource giving background knowledge and information about the damage and destruction of historical sites and artifacts by ISIS.
Dabrowski, Magdalena, ed. “Kandinsky: Compositions.” MOMA: Museum of Modern Art. Accessed July 25, 2026. https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/448.
A great resource explaining Kandinsky’s work and compositions, focusing on a Kandinsky exhibition at the MOMA during 1995.
Douglas, Emory. Black Panther: The Revolutionary Art of Emory Douglas. Edited by Sam Durant. New York: Rizzoli, 2007.
A wonderful collection of Emory Douglas’s artwork with background information about his role in the Black Panther Party and firsthand perspectives from Douglas and other members of the Party.
Dunbar-Ortiz, Roxanne. An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States. Toronto, Ontario: CELA, 2025.
A wonderful resource about the impact of colonialism and the history of the United States through the truthful experiences of the Indigenous peoples.
Fischer, Patrick. “When the Arts Are Attacked, Democracy Is at Risk.” Web log. Arts Blog (blog). Pittsburgh Arts Council, April 14, 2025. https://www.pittsburghartscouncil.org/blog/when-arts-are-attacked-democracy-risk.
A great resource about historical examples where art was removed or censored and the impact it had on society and social rule.
Flattley, Megan. “The History of Mexico: Diego Rivera’s Murals at the National Palace – Smarthistory.” Smart History, September 22, 2020. https://smarthistory.org/mexico-diego-rivera-murals-national-palace/.
A wonderful resource about Diego Rivera and background information and analysis on his History of Mexico mural.
Freedberg, David. The Power of Images: Studies in the History and Theory of Response. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Pr, 2007.
A great analytical text about the impact images have had on people and society throughout time.
Freedman, Kerry J. Teaching Visual Culture: Curriculum, Aesthetics, and the Social Life of Art. New York, New York: Teachers College Press, 2025.
A helpful resource to justify teaching visual literacy through contemporary and historical images. Freedman emphasizes that students learn by critically analyzing the visual culture surrounding them.
Greer, Betsy. “Knitting Craftivism: From My Sofa to Yours.” Essay. In Craftivism: The Art of Craft and Activism, 7–8. Vancouver, British Columbia: Arsenal Pulp Press, 2014.
A wonderful resource about the “start” and history of craftivism as well as various and multiple craftivism project ideas and directions.
Gutting, Gary, and Johanna Oksala. “Michel Foucault.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, April 2, 2003. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/foucault/.
A detailed explanation and resource of Michel Foucault’s biography and history, with a collection and analysis of his ideas.
Hawks, Shelley Drake. “Introduction.” Essay. In The Art of Resistance: Painting By Candlelight in Mao’s China, 4–4. Seattle, Washington: University of Washington Press, 2017.
A great resource about the history and impact of Mao’s china on artists, as well as, several artist focused stories from the time period.
hooks, bell. “Introduction, Chapter 1: Art On My Mind.” Essay. In Art On My Mind: Visual Politics, XV–4. New York, New York: The New Press, 1995.
A great resource for the philosophical idea of the importance and value of art.
Jacobo, Julia. “Threat to Destroy Heritage Sites Akin to ‘cultural Genocide,’ Experts Say in Response to Trump’s Initial Warning - ABC News.” ABC News, January 9, 2020. https://abcnews.com/International/threat-destroy-heritage-sites-akin-cultural-genocide-experts/story?id=68144819.
A resource about ISIS's destruction of artworks and archeological artifacts across the Middle East, the destruction of the Buddhas by the Taliban, as well as about the destruction of artworks across the Middle East and the world.
James, C.L.R. Toussaint Louverture: The Story of the Only Successful Slave Revolt in History; A Play in Three Acts. Edited by Christian Hogsbjerg. Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press, 2012.
I use this source to provide historical context for my unit's examination of resistance. James explores the Haitian Revolution as a powerful example of organized resistance. It also provides background information about Toussaint for comparing the different historical paintings.
Lothian, Sayraphim. Guerrilla Kindness & Other Acts of Creative Resistance: Making a Better World Through Craftivism. Coral Gables, Florida: Mango Publishing Group, 2018.
A wonderful resource about the “start” and history of craftivism, as well as various and multiple craftivism project ideas and directions.
“Love Is in the Bin, October 2018.” Banksy Explained. Accessed July 11, 2026. https://banksyexplained.com/love-is-in-the-bin-2018/.
A wonderful resource explaining the happenings of Banksy’s work Love Is in the Bin, as well as, visual images and a video of the events.
Marchart, Oliver. Conflictual Aesthetics: Artistic Activism and the Public Sphere. Berlin, N/A: Sternberg Press, 2019.
I use this source to reinforce the role of art as a tool for resistance and social change. Marchart explores how art can function as a political act.
Massie-Blomfield, Amber. Acts of Resistance: The Power of Art to Create a Better World. New York, New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc, 2025.
This is a wonderful source to reinforce the role of art as a form of resistance. Massie-Blomfield highlights the ways art can inspire collective action and social change. An exceptional resource filled with several examples of art as acts of resistance throughout past and contemporary moments of history.
Mirzoeff, Nicholas. “Introduction: How to See the World.” Essay. In How to See the World, 6–20. London, N/A: PELICAN, 2015.
I use this source to provide the foundation for my unit's discussion of visual literacy. Mirzoeff defines visual culture as a way of understanding how images influence perception and society.
National Museum of Women in the Arts. “Jaune Quick-to-See Smith | Artist Profile.” National Museum of Women in the Arts. Accessed July 11, 2026. https://nmwa.org/art/artists/jaune-quick-see-smith/.
A great resource about the life and work of the Indigenous artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith.
Phipps, Laura. “‘My Roots Extend’: Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and the Landscape of Memory .” Whitney Museum of American Art. Accessed July 11, 2026. https://whitney.org/essays/jaune-quick-to-see-smith.
An additional resource on the art or Jaune Quick-to-See Smith.
Plessis, Alicia du. “‘Napoleon Crossing the Alps’ by Jacques-Louis David - Analysis.” Art in Context, February 23, 2023. https://artincontext.org/napoleon-crossing-the-alps-by-jacques-louis-david/.
A biographical and analytical resource on Jacques-Louis David’s Napoleon Crossing the Alps.
Schulze, Martin. “Ai Weiwei: The Sichuan Earthquake & 9000 Children’s Backpacks.” Public Delivery, August 14, 2013. https://publicdelivery.org/ai-weiwei-remembering-haus-der-kunst-muenchen-2009/.
A resource about Ai Wei Wei’s Remembering (2009).
Scott, Dread. Dread Scott. Accessed July 12, 2026. https://www.dreadscott.net/
A valuable resource for background information about Dread Scott, his artistic practice, and works addressing power, censorship, and resistance, including What Is the Proper Way to Display a US Flag?
Smith, Matthew Ryan. “Indigenous Graffiti and Street Art as Resistance.” Essay. In Street Art of Resistance, edited by Sarah H. Awad and Brady Wagoner, 251–74. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing AG, 2017.
A resource about the history and impact of Indigenous street artists.
Smithsonian, ed. “Basquiat × Banksy - Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden | Smithsonian.” Hirshhorn Museum. Accessed July 16, 2026. https://hirshhorn.si.edu/exhibitions/basquiat-x-banksy/. A resource about the biographical information of Banksy and some of his work at an exhibition with the Hirshhorn Museum.
Strycharz, Heather. “Sewing Voice: The Arpilleristas and the Women of the Adithi Collective.” Essay. In Craftivism: The Art of Craft and Activism, 133–40. Vancouver, British Columbia: Arsenal Pulp Press, 2014.
A wonderful resource about the background and work of the Arpilleristas and their craft.
“Tania Bruguera.” The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation. Accessed July 25, 2026. https://www.guggenheim.org/map/tania-bruguera.
A wonderful resource about Tania Bruguera’s Tatlin’s Whisper #6 (Havana Version).
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, ed. “‘Degenerate’ Art | Holocaust Encyclopedia.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, June 8, 2020. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/degenerate-art-1.
A resource about the history of the theft and destruction of art during the Nazi Regime.
Wilson-Goldie, Kaelen. “Influences: Emily Jacir.” Frieze, October 15, 2021.
https://www.frieze.com/article/influences-emily-jacir.
A biographical and analytical resource for Emily Jacir and her work.
Zygmont, Bryan. “Smarthistory – Emanuel Leutze, Washington Crossing the Delaware.” Smart History, August 9, 2015. https://smarthistory.org/leutze-washington-crossing-the-delaware/.
A resource with background information and analysis of Emanuel Leutze’s Washington Crossing the Delaware.
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