Guided Primary Source Analysis: I Am an American Day

Guided Primary Source Analysis: I Am an American Day

Find a partner and have one read the first article and the other the second article. Each person should re-read their article and then analyze the source to answer the questions below. (NOTE: to enlarge the type, click here to read them online) What argument does the article present? What evidence from the text supports…

Today in History: March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

Today in History: March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

Today in History–August 28–the Library of Congress features the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, held on this day in 1963. Around a quarter million people participated in this non-violent demonstration for civil rights seeking, among other things, equal access to public accommodations, decent housing, adequate and integrated education, the right to vote, and…

Finding Resources: Free to Use & Reuse Primary Source Sets

Finding Resources: Free to Use & Reuse Primary Source Sets

These primary source sets provide just a small sample of the Library’s digital collections that are free to use and reuse. The digital collections comprise millions of items including books, newspapers, manuscripts, prints and photos, maps, musical scores, films, sound recordings and more. Click the topic link to access each Free to Use & Reuse…

Primary Source Spotlight: Little Rock Nine

Primary Source Spotlight: Little Rock Nine

Little Rock Nine historical newspaper coverage through 1963 Citizens’ Letters on the Little Rock Crisis Eisenhower Library Daisy Bates to Roy Wilkins on the treatment of the Little Rock Nine December 17, 1957 letter Portrait of Roy Wilkins Little Rock Nine group portrait photo and curator’s note U.S. Troops escort African American students from Central High…

Primary Source Spotlight: Henry Creamer & Turner Layton

Primary Source Spotlight: Henry Creamer & Turner Layton

Song recordings After you’ve gone Childhood days Dear old Southland Everybody’s crazy ’bout the doggone blues, but I’m happy Goodbye Alexander, goodbye honey boy If you’ll come back I’m waiting for you, ‘Liza Jane I’ve got the finest man Jubilee blues Oh! Frenchy! Strut Miss Lizzie Sweet Emalina, my gal Sweet mamma (Papa’s getting mad)…

Primary Source Spotlight: Harlem Hellfighters

Primary Source Spotlight: Harlem Hellfighters

The Harlem Hellfighters was a German nickname for the African-American 369th Infantry Regiment, which ended up lauded for its valor. The regiment was also famous for its musicians, led by Lieutenant James Reese Europe. Discover more with this collection of secondary and primary sources. Secondary sources Harlem Hell Fighters: African-American Troops in World War I Headlines and…

Primary Source Spotlight: Voting Rights Act of 1965

Primary Source Spotlight: Voting Rights Act of 1965

Online exhibition items & curator notes Voting Rights Act of 1965 African American Odyssey Voting Rights Act of 1965 Civil Rights Act of 1964 Voting Rights Act of 1965 NAACP: A Century in the Fight for Freedom Voting rights political cartoons by Herb Block Don’t Be Getting Any Ideas That You Have a Right to Vote March 11,1965…

Collections Spotlight: All American News

Collections Spotlight: All American News

Spanning from 1942-45, All-American news were the first newsreels produced for a black audience and were originally intended to encourage black Americans to participate in, and support the war effort, as well as to reflect an African-American perspective on world and national events. 1942 All-American news [1942-08]: includes segments about a Baltimore merchant marine who…

Literature Links: Ruth and the Green Book

Literature Links: Ruth and the Green Book

Elementary teacher librarian and former teacher in residence at the Library of Congress, Tom Bober (@CaptainLibrary), details a plan for pairing primary source analysis with the book, Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Alexander Ramsey, to help students make connections to history and geography. In his post on Knowledge Quest from the American Association of School Librarians, Tom also…

Today in History: Juneteenth

Today in History: Juneteenth

Today in History–June 19–TPS-Barat features Juneteenth. On this date in 1865, Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas, informing the slaves of the Emancipation Proclamation, issued two and a half years earlier by President Abraham Lincoln. Although Juneteenth was informally celebrated each year since 1865, it wasn’t until June 3,…