Why do some artists become canonical, while others, equally respected in their time, fall into obscurity? This question is central to The Unforgettables, a vibrant collection of essays by leading experts on American art. Each contributor presents a brief for an artist deserving of new or renewed attention, including artists from the colonial era to the present day working in a wide variety of mediums.

Histories of American art have traditionally highlighted the work of a familiar roster of artists, largely white and male. Over time the achievements of their peers, notably women and artists of color, have gone uncelebrated. The essays in The Unforgettables provide a new and richer understanding of American art as they expand the canon to include many worthy talents, a number of whom were acclaimed in their day, or, having missed that acclaim, may achieve it now. As told by major scholars and museum professionals in the field, The Unforgettables rescues and revises reputations as it enhances and enriches the history of American art.