MARQUETTE, Mich.—An exhibit exploring the role of caricature and stereotype in forming American attitudes about the multicultural development of the United States will be on display at the Beaumier Upper Peninsula Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University. “Immigration and Caricature: Ethnic Images from the Appel Collection” is on loan from the Michigan State University Museum. It will be featured Feb. 9 to March 30 in the center’s gallery, located in 105 Cohodas Hall. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Admission is free.

            The exhibit uses a collection of immigrant and ethnic caricatures from popular graphics dating primarily from the Civil War to World War I, a period of massive migration to the United States. To modern Americans, the contents are sometimes humorous, sometimes disturbing. The collection offers insight into American cultural attitudes and is a valuable resource for the study of American cultural history. Items include cartoons, postcards, trade cards, prints and lithographs, all of which come from more than 4,000 pieces donated to the MSU Museum by John and Selma Appel. Materials from their collection have been loaned to numerous exhibitions on ethnic images and immigration throughout the United States and the Appels have written many publications on the subject.

            For more information, call the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at 227-1219.