News from the Library of Congress

April is National Poetry Month

The centerpiece of our annual Poetry Month celebration is the release of 50 newly digitized recordings to the Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature—and we’re delighted to say that this year is no different! If you’re unfamiliar with the archive, here’s a little history: the Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature dates back to 1943 and contains nearly 2,000 audio recordings of poets and writers participating in literary events at the Library of Congress, along with sessions recorded in the Recording Laboratory in the Library’s Jefferson Building.

Read full blog post and learn about the recordings: blogs.loc.gov/catbird/2021/04/listen-to-50-newly-streaming-recordings-just-in-time-for-national-poetry-month/

Visit the Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature: loc.gov/collections/archive-of-recorded-poetry-and-literature/about-this-collection/

The Library of Congress promotes poetry and literature year-round through our online and in-person programs, our honors and prizes, and our ambassadors.

Visit our Poetry & Literature site: loc.gov/programs/poetry-and-literature/about-this-program/

The Library of Congress celebrates its birthday on April 24 In 1800, as part of an act of Congress providing for the removal of the new national government from Philadelphia to Washington, President John Adams approved an act of Congress providing $5,000 for books for the use of Congress—the beginning of the Library of Congress. Since that beginning 221 years ago, the Library has grown to become the largest library in the world with a collection of more than 170 million items that document human creativity and achievement across the centuries and around the globe. Learn more about the Library’s history: loc.gov/about/history-of-the-library/

A Guided Dance Research Tour for National Dance Week, April 16-25 National Dance Week 2021 is upon us! Let’s take a guided tour from the safety of our homes through a recently published research guide, Dance Research at the Library of Congress. Pay close attention to all of the digital resources available online! Read the full blog post: blogs.loc.gov/music/2021/04/a-guided-dance-research-tour-for-national-dance-week/ Visit the Dance Research at the Library of Congress guide: guides.loc.gov/dance/

Celebrate Preservation Week with the Library, April 25 - May 1

The Library of Congress Preservation Directorate is excited to present a Topics in Preservation Series (TOPS) for Preservation Week 2021! We are hosting webinars every weekday of Preservation Week at 11am (EST). The five webinars will feature preservation-related projects at the Library, including discussions about adjusting priorities and preserving collections during the pandemic and the Library's work to train the next generation of preservationists.

Get webinar details and register: loc.gov/preservation/outreach/tops/

New Season of 'America Works' Podcast The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress is bringing more workers’ voices from around the country to listeners with the second season of “America Works,” a podcast series celebrating the diversity, resilience and creativity of the American workforce during a time of economic challenge and transition. Read the press release: loc.gov/item/prn-21-017/ Listen to the podcast series: loc.gov/podcasts/america-works/

AHHA Internship Applications Close April 23

The Fall 2021 session of the Archives, History and Heritage Advanced Internship Program (AHHA) is part of the new Of the People: Widening the Path initiative at the Library of Congress. AHHA gives the next generation of diverse archivists and knowledge workers invaluable opportunities to analyze, preserve, and bring to light collections that represent the rich cultural and creative heritage of the United States.

This program is open to currently enrolled undergraduate juniors and seniors, masters, and Ph.D. candidates from all majors, as well as those who have graduated between December 2020 – June 2021.

The application period closes April 23, 2021 and the expected internship start date is September 13, 2021.

Get more info and apply now: loc.gov/item/internships/archives-history-and-heritage-advanced-internship-program-remote-internship-2021/

We are more grateful than ever for all that you do to keep us strong. Whether you support the Library with a gift or simply by spreading the word about what we do, you help us in our mission to connect millions of people around the world with the stories of our collective past, present, and future.

If you haven't yet had a chance to give and you're in a position to donate, please consider making a gift at loc.gov/donate/.

News from the Library of Congress

Celebrating Women's History Month

Friends, March is Women’s History Month and a wonderful opportunity to shine a light on the achievements and contributions of women in this country. Commemorating the significant role of women is also an important opportunity to inspire girls and young women to build their potential and achieve their dreams. We continue to celebrate many ground-breaking firsts for women, and it is an honor to be included in that list as the first woman and African American to serve as the Librarian of Congress. You can watch my historic swearing-in ceremony from Sept. 14, 2016 here. The Library’s vast collections include the history and contributions of diverse women in just about every facet of life, including government, sports, education, arts, science, music, civil rights, entertainment and so much more. I invite you to read some of the fascinating stories about popular historical figures, as well as lesser-known history-makers, included in some of the Library’s engaging blog posts written by staff experts from across our collections areas. A small sampling of posts in honor of Women’s History Month is provided below, as a starting place to help you discover all there is to learn at the Library of Congress. Sincerely, Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in commemorating and encouraging the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. Visit this joint web portal highlighting collections, resources and events: https://womenshistorymonth.gov/

Celebrating Women's History Month: Blog Posts from Around the Library Vigdís Finnbogadóttir: The World’s First Female Elected President blogs.loc.gov/law/2020/07/vigds-finnbogadttir-the-worlds-first-female-elected-president/ The First Lady Astronaut Trainees blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2019/10/mercury13/ Luminarias: Celebrating Latinas Who Inspire Us blogs.loc.gov/international-collections/2021/03/luminarias-celebrating-latinas-who-inspire-us/ Honoring African Americans: Historic Women Trailblazers and Advocacy Organizations blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2021/03/historic-women-trailblazers/

And She Became Mother Jones blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2020/03/mother-jones/ Astronomer Maria Mitchell blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2020/08/astronomer-maria-mitchell/ Stunned By Her Thunder: Fannie Lou Hamer blogs.loc.gov/law/2021/02/stunned-by-her-thunder-fannie-lou-hamer/ The Gee’s Bend Quilters and Copyright blogs.loc.gov/copyright/2021/03/celebrating-womens-history-month-the-gees-bend-quilters-and-copyright/

Rose O’Neill: Artist, Activist, and Queen of Kewpies blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2020/03/rose-oneill-artist-activist-and-queen-of-kewpies/ “What the World Gives to Me”: The Correspondence of Georgia O’Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz blogs.loc.gov/catbird/2021/03/what-the-world-gives-to-me-the-correspondence-of-georgia-okeeffe-and-alfred-stieglitz/ For Kids, Families and Teachers: Celebrate Women’s History Month with Mabel Ping-Hua Lee and Suffragist Cards blogs.loc.gov/families/2021/03/celebrate-wom ens-history-month-with-mabel-ping-hua-lee-and-suffragist-cards/ Diversity in the Struggle: Exploring the Lives of Suffragists blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2021/03/diversity-in-the-struggle-exploring-the-lives-of-suffragists/

Women's History in Newspapers

Take a look at our historical newspaper archives for stories featuring change-making women in newspapers searchable in Chronicling America. This database, sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress, provides access to historic United States newspapers published between 1789 and 1963. As the Library’s digital collection grows to over 16 million digitized pages, this blog post features 16 Chronicling America topics pages. (There are, of course, many more!)  Each page provides links to articles and includes significant dates and associated search terms useful for searching the topic in historical newspapers.

Read full blog post: blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2020/03/international-womens-day-in-newspapers/

Women and Sports: Prints and Photographs Collections

As we celebrate women’s history this month, we’re heading to the track, the open waters, the rink, the mat, the field, the mountains, and many more areas to highlight women in sports. While there isn’t one set collection to explore this topic, we’ve put together a few tips and tricks for navigating the Prints & Photographs Online Catalog. It’s important to note that women in sports imagery can be found in many formats and depict professional, amateur, leisure, and collegiate sports. Read full blog post: blogs.loc.gov/picturethis/2021/03/women-and-sports-let-the-searching-games-begin/

Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote - Visit the Exhibition Online

Visit our current exhibition which examines the campaign for women’s voting rights that lasted more than seven decades. Considered the largest reform movement in United States history, its participants believed that securing the vote was essential to achieving women’s economic, social, and political equality. Culminating 100 years ago in the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the fight for women’s suffrage was not for the fainthearted. Determined women organized, lobbied, paraded, petitioned, lectured, and picketed for years. Suffragists were ridiculed, patronized, and dismissed by opponents, yet they persisted. Some were assaulted and endured the harsh confines of prison for daring to claim rights equal to men, but they would not be denied.

Visit the exhibition online: loc.gov/suffrage

Literary Series Programs for March 2021

Literary events in March will feature the new series "Made at the Library," with a book on Eleanor Roosevelt and the ongoing National Book Festival Presents series. All programs will be virtual and premiere on the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site (with captions).

Thursday, March 18, 7 p.m.: “Rediscovering Eleanor Roosevelt” is the first event in a new series called “Made at the Library,” which focuses on books that have been substantially written using the Library of Congress’ extraordinary collections. 

Thursday, March 25, 7 p.m.: “War, Combat and the American Soldier” features two of the most prominent historians of war, Margaret MacMillan (“War: How Conflict Shaped Us”) and Rick Atkinson (“The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777”).

Read full details here: loc.gov/item/prn-21-004/

We are more grateful than ever for all that you do to keep us strong. Whether you support the Library with a gift or simply by spreading the word about what we do, you help us in our mission to connect millions of people around the world with the stories of our collective past, present, and future.

If you haven't yet had a chance to give and you're in a position to donate, please consider making a gift at loc.gov/donate/.

News from the Library of Congress

Celebrating Black History Month

Friends, In 1926, noted historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson, known as the “Father of Black History,” began a week-long celebration to highlight the achievements of African Americans. He selected the second week in February, as it contains the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Several years earlier in 1915, Woodson founded what is today known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) after attending an exposition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 15th Amendment and being inspired to more widely share the history and accomplishments of African Americans since slavery – stories that were not discoverable and were not being presented. In 1976, the initial week-long celebration grew into the longer Black History Month celebration that continues to this day. ASALH also continues to honor Woodson’s lifelong mission to honor the study of African American history all year long, year after year. They’ve set the 2021 Black History Month theme as, “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.” The Library of Congress holds many varied African American historical resources within our vast collections, including the NAACP Records our largest and most accessed single collection, and we are committed to acquiring more. Last month, we announced a new, multiyear initiative - Of the People: Widening the Path - to create new opportunities for more Americans to engage with the Library and add their perspectives to the Library’s collections, allowing the national library to share a more inclusive American story.  Read more below about this initiative, which is supported by a $15 million investment from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Below, you will also find a wide selection of Library blog posts highlighting African American stories in honor of Black History Month, giving a glimpse into all the history there is to discover at the Library of Congress. Sincerely, Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society. Visit this joint web portal highlighting collections, resources and events: africanamericanhistorymonth.gov

Celebrating Black History: Blog Posts from Around the Library Celebrating Artists’ Portraits at the Library of Congress for African American History Month blogs.loc.gov/picturethis/2021/02/celebrating-artists-portraits-at-the-library-of-congress-for-african-american-history-month/ The Family Life of Ralph Ellison blogs.loc.gov/catbird/2021/02/the-family-life-of-ralph-ellison/ Honoring African American Contributions in Medicine: Midwives blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2020/06/honoring-african-american-contributions-in-medicine-midwives/ Katherine Dunham's Ethnographic Research in the Caribbean blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2021/02/katherine-dunham-in-the-caribbean/

Frederick Douglass Newspapers, 1847-1874: Now Online blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2020/01/frederick-douglass-newspapers-1847-1874-now-online/ Sojourner Truth and the Power of Copyright Registration blogs.loc.gov/copyright/2020/12/sojourner-truth-and-the-power-of-copyright-registration/ The Beauty Entrepreneur: Madam C. J. Walker  blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2020/03/madam-c-j-walker/ Performing Arts Blog Posts blogs.loc.gov/music/category/african-american-history/

The Hazel Scott Papers

To celebrate Black History Month and commemorate the centennial of Hazel Scott, the Music Division is pleased to announce a new online finding aid for the Hazel Scott Papers. By the mid-1940s Scott had become one of the best-known African-American entertainers in the United States, and she gained additional press attention when she married Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. in 1945. Powell was the first African-American congressman from New York, and Scott and Powell each worked to further the causes of social justice and to fight racism and discrimination. Read more: blogs.loc.gov/music/2021/02/hazel-scott-now-playing/

African American Art Dolls & Puppets for Identity & Healing

On February 18, 2020, the Library of Congress hosted a celebration of African American dolls and puppets sponsored by the American Folklife Center’s Benjamin Botkin Lecture Series. Folklorist Camila Bryce-Laporte and fellow artist, Dr. Deborah Grayson, presented several artists from Maryland and the District of Columbia. The event also included a wonderful exhibition of dolls by the presenters and other artists. The dolls and puppets featured were handmade by the presenters and exhibitors.

Learn more and watch the event video as artists explain how their creations have meaning for them and what inspires their work: blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2021/02/african-american-art-dolls-and-puppets/

Black History Month Events at the Kluge Center

As part of the Library of Congress commemoration of African American History Month, the Kluge Center will be hosting two events that honor the African American scholars and activists who have contributed so much to American democracy.

On Feb. 22 at 1 pm, join us for A History of African American Political Thought with Melvin Rogers and Jack Turner. Rogers and Turner will discuss the new book they co-edited, African American Political Thought: A Collected History.

Event info & free registration: prekindle.com/event/23151-conversations-on-the-future-of-democracy-a-history-of-african-american-political-thought

And on Feb. 23 at 1 pm, join us for African American Women and the Suffrage Movement, with Martha S. Jones. Jones will discuss her recent book "Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All"

Event info & free registration: prekindle.com/event/84828-martha-s-jones-on-african-american-women-and-the-suffrage-movement

Read more: blogs.loc.gov/kluge/2021/02/african-american-history-month-at-the-kluge-center/

Of the People: Widening the Path Funded by $15 Million Grant from Mellon Foundation

The Library of Congress announced a new, multiyear initiative to connect more deeply with Black, Hispanic, Indigenous and other minority communities by expanding its collections, using technology to enable storytelling and offering more internship and fellowship opportunities, supported by a $15 million investment from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The new initiative is part of a larger vision at the Library to connect with all Americans by inviting new generations to participate in creating, preserving and sharing the nation’s cultural treasures and building on the Library’s commitment to collect and preserve more underrepresented perspectives and experiences.

Read the press release: loc.gov/item/prn-21-002/

Subscribe to the Of the People blog for updates: blogs.loc.gov/OfThePeople/

Rosa Parks: In Her Own Words - Visit the Exhibition Online

Visit our current exhibition on Rosa Parks which showcases rarely seen materials that offer an intimate view of Rosa Parks and documents her life and activism—creating a rich opportunity for viewers to discover new dimensions to their understanding of this seminal figure. loc.gov/exhibitions/rosa-parks-in-her-own-words/about-this-exhibition/ Young Rosa Parks: Ideas for Families to Engage with Her Life Story blogs.loc.gov/families/2021/02/young-rosa-parks/ Expanding Historical Narratives about Rosa Parks Using Primary Sources: Ideas for Teachers blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2020/03/expanding-historical-narratives-about-rosa-parks-using-primary-sources/ Virtual Student Workshop - Rosa Parks: Freedom Fighter (grades 5-8) Through discussion, questioning strategies, storytelling and more, students learn about the many ways civil rights activist Rosa Parks fought to bring about justice and equality for many Americans. The program draws on the personal papers of Rosa Parks and other multimedia items held at the Library. Workshops are led by a Library facilitator and are available by request here: loc.gov/visit/virtual-student-workshops/

Literary Series Programs for February, March 2021

Literary events in February and March will feature the new series "Made at the Library," with a book on Eleanor Roosevelt, as well as National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Jason Reynolds and the ongoing series National Book Festival Presents. All programs will be virtual and premiere on the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site (with captions). 

Thursday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m.: “Giants of Racial Justice,” part of the ongoing series National Book Festival Presents, will focus on the paths of Malcolm X and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in seeking racial equality. 

Thursday, Feb. 25, 4 p.m.: “On the Road with Jason Reynolds” features National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Jason Reynolds in conversation with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. 

Friday, March 12, 1 p.m.: 2021 Diversity in Children's Literature Symposium: “Listening, Learning, Creating Communities,” followed by the Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children's Literature

Thursday, March 18, 7 p.m.: “Rediscovering Eleanor Roosevelt” is the first event in a new series called “Made at the Library,” which focuses on books that have been substantially written using the Library of Congress’ extraordinary collections. 

Thursday, March 25, 7 p.m.: “War, Combat and the American Soldier” features two of the most prominent historians of war, Margaret MacMillan (“War: How Conflict Shaped Us”) and Rick Atkinson (“The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777”).

Read full details here: loc.gov/item/prn-21-004/

We are more grateful than ever for all that you do to keep us strong. Whether you support the Library with a gift or simply by spreading the word about what we do, you help us in our mission to connect millions of people around the world with the stories of our collective past, present, and future.

If you haven't yet had a chance to give and you're in a position to donate, please consider making a gift at loc.gov/donate/.

News from the Library of Congress

Inaugurations Past, Presidential Papers and Pandemic Photo Collecting

Friends, Happy 2021 to each of you! This year has already proved to be an eventful one. Like many of you, I am disappointed and disturbed by the recent unrest at the Capitol. This was one of the most significant breaches of the Capitol in its history since the War of 1812 when the building was on fire and the Library of Congress was burned as well. Following those events Thomas Jefferson sold his library to Congress, and it remains the foundation of our institution today. I am relieved to say that the Jefferson library, all of our collections, and most importantly our staff members are safe and secure.  You can read more about how the Library of Congress survived its destruction during the War of 1812 to become the nation’s – and the world’s – pre-eminent source of knowledge and information in this past Library of Congress Magazine issue about our history (p.8). As we turn our attention to today’s historic inauguration of the 46th president of the United States, Library staffers have published a number of blog posts examining inaugurations past. Find links to those below, and read about the completion of our initiative to digitize the papers of nearly two dozen early presidents. Updates on other exciting Library programs are also provided. Sincerely, Carla Hayden Librarian of Congress

Inaugurations Past & Present: Blog Posts from Around the Library “Inaugurations: Stepping into History” – A Teacher Resource from the Library of Congress blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2021/01/inaugurations-stepping-into-history-a-teacher-resource-from-the-library-of-congress/ Selected Resources for Parents on Inaugurations, the Presidency, and Civic Engagement blogs.loc.gov/families/2021/01/resources-civics-inaugurations/ Weathering the Weather on Inauguration Day blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2021/01/inaugural-weather/ Amanda Gorman Selected as President-Elect Joe Biden’s Inaugural Poet blogs.loc.gov/catbird/2021/01/amanda-gorman-selected-as-president-elect-joe-bidens-inaugural-poet/ Intriguing Facts about Presidential Inaugurations Past blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2021/01/intriguing-facts-about-presidential-inaugurations-past/ Presidential Inaugurations Outside of Washington, D.C.: Law and Tradition blogs.loc.gov/law/2017/01/presidential-inaugurations-outside-of-washington-d-c-law-and-tradition/ Inauguration Music of Yesteryear blogs.loc.gov/music/2017/01/inauguration-music-of-yesteryear/

Panoramic Postcard of the Inauguration of President Theodore Roosevelt at the Capitol, 1905. //www.loc.gov/item/2008681169/

Historic Presidential Papers Digitized

The Library of Congress has completed a more than two decade-long initiative to digitize the papers of nearly two dozen early presidents. The Library holds the papers of 23 presidents from George Washington to Calvin Coolidge, all of which have been digitized and are now available online.

Read the announcement and access collections: loc.gov/item/prn-20-085/

Library Seeks Photos of Pandemic Experiences The Library is collaborating with the photo-sharing site Flickr to significantly expand our documentation of American experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether you use a cell phone, a professional camera or graphic design software, we’d like to see your images of how the pandemic has affected your daily life and community. We invite you to contribute photographic and graphic art images to the Flickr group “COVID-19 American Experiences.” Library curators will review submissions and select images to feature in Flickr galleries and to preserve in our permanent collections. More information: blogs.loc.gov/loc/2020/09/library-seeks-pictures-of-pandemic-experiences/ Image credit: Family Portrait from the Covid-19 Era by Jonathan Brown on Flickr.

Jan/Feb Library of Congress Magazine: The Art of the Book Books can be more than just words on a printed page; they can be works of art in their own right. This issue of LCM explores beautiful, innovative volumes found in the Library’s collections. Also, a newly acquired library offers stunning examples of book design and illustration, and a king-size scroll chronicles Commodore Perry’s voyage to Japan. Download now: loc.gov/lcm/pdf/LCM_2021_0102.pdf Browse all issues of LCM: loc.gov/lcm/

Librarians-in-Residence Program Deadline Jan. 22

The deadline to submit applications for the 2021 Librarians-in-Residence program is fast approaching! This program offers early career librarians the opportunity to develop their expertise and contribute to building, stewarding and sharing the institution’s vast collections.

The Library will select up to seven applicants for a six-month residency to begin in June 2021. The program is open to students who will complete their master’s degrees in an American Library Association-accredited library and information science program no later than June 2021 or who completed such a degree no earlier than December 2019.

Read the announcement and submit an application by Jan. 22, 2021:
loc.gov/item/prn-20-086/
loc.gov/item/internships/librarian-in-residence/

We are more grateful than ever for all that you do to keep us strong. Whether you support the Library with a gift or simply by spreading the word about what we do, you help us in our mission to connect millions of people around the world with the stories of our collective past, present, and future.

If you haven't yet had a chance to give and you're in a position to donate, please consider making a gift at loc.gov/donate/.