From an 1898 collage of Uncle Sam lassoing other countries to the Liberty Bell’s use across time as symbols for patriotic, anti-slavery and socialist groups alike, artists have long used images to understand complex political moments in American history. Civil War historian and Professor Margaret Storey explores diverse historical perspectives on freedom as the curator of the exhibition “Conceived in Liberty,” open from June 11 to Sept. 19 at the Newberry Library in Chicago.

The exhibition highlights how artists explore the concepts of liberty and freedom during wartime, pulling political cartoons, caricatures, sheet music illustrations, propaganda posters and other artifacts from the Newberry’s collection and spanning from the War of 1812 to World War I.

“There is a great deal of richness in visual material,” Storey says. Americans have often used similar images and icons to explain and understand conflicts since the American Revolution.

“Wartime focuses the mind on where our liberty begins and where it ends. The United States was born in a war, so all our founding documents and ideals are deeply associated with warfare,” she says. “It is an interesting reality that we don’t tend to reflect on very much.”

The title, “Conceived in Liberty,” comes from Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and points both to the country’s ideals of liberty at its inception and artists’ conceptions of liberty through their illustrations. The historical origin of the name is fitting as the Newberry participates in Illinois America 250, a statewide effort to highlight diverse perspectives about American history 250 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

“Margaret's particular interest in how times of conflict in American history surface tensions around core beliefs and values is expertly presented through the lens of political cartoons and illustrations,” says Sarah Boyd Alvarez, director of exhibitions and public programs at the Newberry. “I have no doubt that visitors will be fascinated and enriched by this show."

A unique opportunity
Storey, a 2025-27 DePaul Humanities Center Faculty Fellow, spent hours in the Newberry’s archives with Ruby Hayden, a junior majoring in anthropology and museum studies. Hayden supported the development of the exhibition as a Newberry intern and DePaul Humanities Center research assistant.

“I explored the James D. Driscoll collection of American sheet music looking for five specific pieces, but Margaret also wanted to see what I found interesting. Some of the pieces I found on my own are now part of the show,” Hayden says.

The internship course within the museum studies minor opens the door for students to gain hands-on museum experience early in their academic careers. Hayden’s unique experience as an undergraduate intern in museum exhibition development — an opportunity typically reserved for graduate students — helped her explore the field and focus her career path.

“I got to see the day-to-day work conservationists do and other jobs you wouldn’t think of, like monitoring bug traps in the exhibit halls,” Hayden says. “I learned that I’m most drawn to exhibit development. I enjoy the researching and falling down rabbit holes of interesting things in the archives. It’s very fulfilling.”

“Conceived in Liberty” is free and open to all. For more information on the exhibition, visit the Newberry Library website.