The Spanish Element in Our Nationality Spain and America at the World's Fairs and Centennial Celebrations, 1876-1915

Written histories invariably record the Spanish financing of Columbus's historic voyage of 1492, but few consider Spain's continuing influence on the development of U.S. national identity. In this book, M. Elizabeth Boone investigates the reasons for this problematic memory gap by chronicling a series of Spanish displays at international fairs. Studying the exhibition of paintings, the construction of ephemeral architectural space, and other manifestations of visual culture, Boone examines how Spain sought to position itself as a contributor to U.S. national identity, and how the United States―in comparison to other nations in North and South America―subverted and ignored Spain's messages, making it possible to marginalize and ultimately obscure Spain's relevance to the history of the United States.
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