Look Back in Hope

Right now, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The endless corruption, the fear for those we love, and the uncertainty of how to even begin to fight back—it can be paralyzing. The arts community, too, is weighed down by these same forces. But if there’s one thing history has shown us, it’s that those in power have always tried to control the work of artists. This is a fight as old as art itself. And though the current moment may be terrifying, the quote “history repeats itself” doesn’t always have to be a bad reminder. As a historian, sometimes looking back gives me the exact story I need to remind me that artists always find a way to resist.