This course introduces students to the history of graphic design and visual communication, from the origins of writing to the present day. The course also introduces students to the concepts of "historiography" and "canon," concepts that mesh well with understanding the uses and limitations of Wikipedia as a source of knowledge. My students will join the broader efforts among art and design historians and practitioners to expand the canon of design history and bring expanded awareness to the work and lives of significant yet underrepresented artist-designers throughout history.