David McCarthy (academic)

David McCarthy is an art historian and Professor of Art History at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. He specializes in the history of American art, with a particular focus on the relationship between art, politics, and social movements in the 20th century. His scholarship often examines the intersection of art and activism, especially concerning labor, race, gender, and sexuality.

McCarthy received his PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles.

His published works include:

• American Moderns on Paper: Drawings and Prints from the Collection of John & Jill Fairchild. (Rizzoli, 2017). Co-authored with Avis Berman.
• The Radical Camera: New York's Photo League, 1936-1951 (Yale University Press, 2011), co-authored with Catherine Evans.
• Pop Art: A Critical History. (University of California Press, 2000). Editor.
• Race, Nation, and Empire in American History (Organization of American Historians, 2007). Editor.
• Numerous articles and essays in scholarly journals and edited volumes, focusing on topics such as Ben Shahn, Jacob Lawrence, the Federal Art Project, and the history of photography.

McCarthy has received fellowships and awards from organizations such as the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Dedalus Foundation. He is a frequent lecturer and presenter at academic conferences and public forums. His work contributes significantly to the understanding of American art within its broader social and political context.