In 2008 Cornell Library’s Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections (RMC) began building a collection of political campaign publicity and memorabilia documenting the campaign and election of President Barack Obama. Online access to these materials will provide a unique visual iconography of the election of America’s first black President. It will constitute an important teaching and research resource for understanding modern campaign strategies and political mobilization. The resulting digital collection will be of interest to multiple disciplines, including art, art history, history, American studies, Africana studies, media studies, visual studies, political science, and government.
Obama Visual Iconography
Investigator: Travis Gosa, Africana Studies and Research Center
Collaborator: Katherine Reagan, Cornell University Library
Arts & Sciences, 2012