National Artefact Assignment: The Lincoln Memorial

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National Artefact Assignment: The Lincoln Memorial
This paper looks at an artefact that expresses something about nations and about nationalisms – particularly in the context of race. In the case of America, it can be argued that race is the greatest marker of identity – which means that any artefact in America that addresses race is particularly significant in terms of what it says about America and about how America views itself. The next few pages will briefly describe an artefact and subsequently analyze what the artefact says about the United States of America and about the ideological biases and conceits that attach themselves to nationalism in the United States. The artefact in question is the Lincoln Memorial and the key finding to...

.....opened to the public in 1922. The Memorial is visited by millions of visitors each year and is the site of many large public gatherings and protests. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech to a crowd by the Lincoln Memorial in 1963 . Damaged over the years by heavy visitation and environmental factors, the Lincoln Memorial is currently undergoing a major restoration.
The Lincoln Memorial, administered by the National Park Service, is on the west end of National Mall, located in West Potomac Park, in line with the US Capitol and the Washington Monument, bordered by Constitution, Independence Aves. and the Reflecting Pool. The memorial is open 8:00 am to 11:45 pm everyday except Christmas. Metro stop: Smithsonian