About this site

On the web since 1999, this web site contains the on-line notes provided to the college students who attended my History of Graphic Design lectures from 1991—2010 at Moore College of Art & Design (and a few years at The University of the Arts) in Philadelphia. I devised this system of presenting the material by subject, rather than timeline, to help design students link this history to their various studio disciplines.

The work behind this site is substantial. I've spent over 20 years reading, studying, visiting museums and libraries. I've taken design history classes at The Rare Book School at the University of Virginia, Princeton University and The University of Pennsylvania. I currently volunteer in the Rare Book Department of the Free Library of Philadelphia where I am helping organize educational lectures.

In 2010 I left teaching for other pursuits but am keeping this archive posted indefinitely

Our blog, Field Trip, is for those interested in trips to various design history destinations or are armchair travelers.

Permission Guidelines

The entire site is protected under the guidelines of a Creative Commons license which allows sharing of information but you must attribute the work with the complete URL, http://www.designhistory.org.

You may not use this site for commercial work, or alter, transform or build upon this work. You may not chop it up and reorganize it and claim it as your own.

Teaching faculty may use this site for their classes and as a virtual textbook. If you download pages and convert them to pdfs you must include the web address. We appreciate advance notice.

Students may quote sections in their academic papers with proper footnotes and citations.