After its incorporation in 1837, Chicago became one of the fastest growing cities in the world and its flourishing economy attracted huge numbers of new immigrants from Europe. By 1900, more than 77% of the population was either foreign-born or had foreign-born parents. The city, already an important hub for industry, transportation, and commerce, needed – and cultivated - a robust print culture that incorporated different languages and cultural traditions.
From the 15th century, the print trade in Europe and eventually the United States has been powered by immigrants seeking new opportunities and new lives. Some of these immigrants are well-known and celebrated as innovators who shaped the print industry and the burgeoning marketplace. But there were thousands of other workers who toiled in anonymity but were no less important in producing and selling books and other printed materials that shaped every aspect of our culture – people who literally made impressions. Who were – and are – “immigrant printers”? What kinds of things do they print? How have they changed industry and culture? This exhibition established Chicago as a vital center of multicultural printing and celebrates what makes Chicago’s immigrant printers, their work, and their communities unique.
Curator
Jill Gage, Custodian of the John M. Wing Foundation on the History of Printing and Bibliographer for British Literature and History, Newberry Library
Related Programming
In this program that originally took place on February 6, 2025, artists Amira Hegazy and Vida Sačić explored how printing can question singular cultural narratives and how their own practices address political and social issues between multiple cultures.
Letterpress Broadsides
In September 2024, eight current and former students at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) visited the Newberry to see and learn about the items on display in the exhibition. In response, each student created their own broadside designs to share with exhibition visitors.
- Artist's Statements: Hear from the artists behind the broadsides about their artistic style, approach, and intentions.
- Behind-the-Scenes: This video documents the students' visit to the Newberry and provides a glimpse into the creative process for a few of them.
More About the Space
The Hanson Gallery is a small, intimate space. Exhibitions mounted there typically include 12-24 items, allowing visitors a glimpse of what the Newberry’s vast collections have to offer. Hanson exhibitions are often modest thematic presentations that draw from a range of the library's collections or interpretive explorations that are built around single items. Examples of past exhibitions include: Wheels and Indigenous Portraits Unbound. Click here to view a photo of the gallery.
Supporters
Making an Impression: Immigrant Printing in Chicago was part of Art Design Chicago, a citywide collaboration initiated by the Terra Foundation for American Art that highlights the city's artistic heritage and creative communities.
