Tanekwah C. Hinds, of Hartford, Curates Political Cartoon Exhibit at University Gallery

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Wellesley College Sophomore Tanekwah Hinds co-curated an exhibition on Thomas Nast.

WELLESLEY, MA (09/27/2012)(readMedia)-- Tanekwah C. Hinds from Hartford, CT, co-curated an exhibition that opened last week at the University of St. Joseph Art Gallery. The Noise of Democracy: Thomas Nast and the Elections of 1872 and 1876 examines the issues and personalities that shaped the presidential elections of 1872 and 1876.

Hinds, a sophomore at Wellesley College, worked on this exhibit as part of her summer curatorial internship with the Art Gallery. "My favorite part was the hands-on work," said Hinds, who's studying Art History and Political Science at Wellesley. "You realize how delicate the art is, and experience the sense of the passing-down of history which during the period didn't seem important."

Thomas Nast drew for Harper's Weekly during the contentious second term election of Ulysses S. Grant as well as the first disputed American presidential election, eventually won by Rutherford B. Hayes.

Nast's cartoons helped shape opinion on key issues of the day, including monetary policy and the separation of church and state. His work is also notable for its codification of the elephant and donkey symbols for the American political parties.

The exhibition opened on Thursday, September 20th and will be on view through Sunday, December 9. Hinds will give a Gallery Talk with director and curator Ann H. Sievers (Wellesley College, C'69) on Tuesday, October 9th.

Since 1875, Wellesley College has been a leader in promoting an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world. Its 500-acre campus near Boston is home to 2,400 undergraduate students from all 50 states and 75 countries.