The notion of American identity has been debated, challenged, and questioned since the nation’s inception. Using works from the collection supplemented by loans from both public and private collections, the Carter introduces a new mixed media approach to create this exhibition. The objects in the exhibition range from the late 18th century through the late 20th century. From depictions of Colonial leaders and Native Americans to Cold War figures and the 1969 Woodstock Festival, the works on view move through the Civil War, women’s suffrage, the civil rights movement, and the 1960s, revealing how the fluidity of our national identity has been depicted along the way by American artists in paintings, photographs, sculpture, and works on paper.

We the People is structured around key moments in history when the definition of a singular American identity was challenged and ultimately reshaped. Organized into four themes, the exhibition asks: Who Is America, Who Is the American Woman, Who Shapes America, and Who Defines America?