Art in Government Publications Series, Part 1: History Through Art

Published: February 26, 2026

Featured Content
Federal Government publications that not only tell a story, but highlight works of art

In this series, we will highlight a few of the many publications on GovInfo that showcase works of art through different mediums, including photographs, paintings, and drawings. This first part, “History Through Art,” presents publications that highlight artwork related to U.S. historical events, movements, and perspectives captured by artists.


Image: Cover images of publications highlighted in this article.

Picturing America: Teachers Resource Book (National Endowment for the Humanities, 2008)*
Picturing America was an initiative of the “We the People” program of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). This program was launched in 2002 to provide an understanding of America’s history and founding principles through teaching and study.

Image: The Chrysler Building, Manhattan, 1930. Photographic print. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.
“The Chrysler Building could only have been constructed in the competitive climate of Manhattan in the 1920s. The American economy was flourishing, and there was not enough office space to go around; urban builders were encouraged to aim high.” Source: National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)

As stated by Bruce Cole, Chairman, National Endowment for the Humanities, “Picturing America brings some of our nation’s most significant images into classrooms nationwide. It offers a way to understand the history of America— its diverse people and places, its travails and triumphs — through some of our greatest artistic masterpieces. This exciting new effort in humanities education will expose thousands of citizens to outstanding American art, and it will provide a valuable resource that can help bring the past alive.”

Outline of U.S. History (U.S. Department of State, 2011)*
This publication highlights periods from the early settlement of America to the 2008 Presidential Election, including the following chapters: "The Colonial Period", "The Civil War and Reconstruction", and "Politics of Hope".

Image: Engraving of the first African-American members elected to the U.S. Congress during the Reconstruction Era, following the Civil War. Seated at left is H.R. Revels, senator from Mississippi. The others were members of the House of Representatives from the states of Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. Amherst College.” Source: LOC – Amherst College Archives and Special Collections, by permission of the Trustees.



Labor History in the United States (National Park Service, 2022)*
This publication shows how some of our Nation's greatest places are not only engineering wonders but also sites of labor history.


"The history of labor in the United States is a national story; it encompasses all of the social, political, economic, ethnic, and racial groups that together constitute the proverbial American people. Recognizing places significant to labor history helps connect the stories of workers to national historical events, movements and themes."

America's Paper Money: A Canvas for an Emerging Nation (Smithsonian Institution, 2023)*

Image: One-sixth of a dollar note, The United Colonies, 17 February 1776, 7.8 × 5.8 cm. National Numismatic Collection, ” Source: Smithsonian, National Museum of American History, Washington, D.C.

Take a look at the range of historical and visual imagery on America’s paper money before 1900. Author Dr. William Pressly states, "... paper money is seen as falling more within the purview of visual culture than art history. This book offers arguments to the contrary. It attempts to open to art historians and the public an area of American art that has been largely overlooked and to encourage numismatists to see this material in new ways."


In the Line of Duty: Army Art, 1965-2014 (Defense Department, Center of Military History United States Army, 2015)*

As noted in this publication, Army soldier art and soldier art programs date back to World War I.

Image: TENT CITY Ad Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Operation Desert Shield, Sieger Hartgers, 1990 Watercolor on paper, 12” x 18 Source: Center of Military History, United States Army

See how these military artists have captured the harsh realities of combat in the day-to-day routine of soldiers’ lives. This publication features art spanning the Vietnam War, the Gulf War (Desert Storm), and the wars in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Below are some suggested searches to help you find other publications like these in the article.


Cover Image: George Caleb Bingham, “The Jolly Flatboatmen,” 1846 (National Gallery of Art, Patron’s Permanent Fund), Source Publication: Labor History in the United States (National Park Service, 2022)* “In 1811, before the advent of the steamship, commerce in the trans-Appalachian West along the Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri river systems relied upon flatboats and keelboats that served the growing number of riverside communities.”
Learn more about keelboats on the National Park Service website.


*This content was harvested from online sources of the original hosting or authoring agency and may not reflect current policy. As Federal agencies add publications to their websites, or report new publications to GPO per statutory mandate (44 U.S.C. §§ 1710, 1902-1903), GPO ensures long-term preservation of and access to the content.



About Featured Content Articles - This series of articles aims to highlight content available in GovInfo related to various national observances, commemorations, anniversaries, and more. See more featured content articles.