Originally established as Mt. McKinley National Park in 1917, today Denali National Park encompasses 600 million acres of land from low lying taiga forests to the summit of America’s tallest peak Denali (20, 310 feet). Learn more about this magical place by clicking the links below. Alaska’s High Point from America’s Library Mt. McKinley National Park…
Gabriela Mistral was born as Lucila Godoy Alcayaga in Vicuña, Chile in 1889. She is the author of over twelve books of poetry and was the first Hispanic writer awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Mistral also worked as an educator and a diplomat. Learn more about this passionate poet by investigating the resources below. Gabriela Mistral reading…
Today in History–April 28–the Library of Congress features Billy the Kid, who killed two guards while making his escape from a New Mexico jail on this date in 1881. But was he a folk villain or hero? Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the primary source trail to uncover more perspectives on this infamous Wild West…
This Emily Dickinson poem was set to music by composer Ernst Bacon. Take a closer look at this sheet music and read the lyrics. What feeling does this poem give you? What specific word choices influence how you feel? What kind of music do you think would go with these words (happy, upbeat, sad, mournful, lively, slow,…
Poet Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830, in Amherst, Massachusetts. Dickinson seldom left home but she read a lot, exchanged letters with many people, and spent a great deal of time with her family—her sister Lavinia also lived at home her entire life and her brother Austin and his wife lived next door. Learn more…
Music is such a powerful primary source and can really help us connect to and engage with a person or an event. The Library of Congress is full of digital music resources, including numerous sheet music collections and items. But what to do if you would like to hear the music but cannot play an instrument…
Chile: Places in the News Chile country study Country profile: Chile BBC Chile timeline BBC Chile primary source set from the World Digital Library Chile images Chile maps Canción nacional chilena 1901-04-12 song recording Mañana Chilean dance Chilean literary recordings Chile books and documents (English & Spanish) U.S. historical newspaper articles mentioning Chile Service in Chile: U.S. veteran oral histories…
Poet Pablo Neruda was born as Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto in Parral, Chile in 1904. He is the author of more than fifty books, mostly of poetry and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. Learn more about this wondrous wordsmith by investigating the resources below. Pablo Neruda reading his poem, Alturas de Macchu Picchu June 20,…
Looking for a way to integrate more poetry into your curriculum during national poetry month in April? Take a look at the project of U.S. Poet LaureateJuan Felipe Herrera. La Casa de Colores, specifically La Familia, is a crowdsourced epic poem project that began in September 15, 2015 and will span the length of Herrera’s Laureateship. The current segment is…
Pulitzer Prize winner Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) wrote more than 20 books of poetry and served as the Illinois Poet Laureate from 1968-2000 and Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1985-1986. Learn more about this amazing artist by investigating the resources below. Audio recordings Readings in Afro-American poetry: Gwendolyn Brooks, Michael S. Harper,…
Patricia Smith The Poet & the Poem audio podcast This is My Story: Getting to Know Patricia Smith From the Catbird Seat blog February 9, 2015 Patricia Smith’s “Words That Force Us to Look” From the Catbird Seat April 22, 2013 Patricia Smith Bookfest bio Patricia Smith: 2009 National Book Festival video Necessary Utterance: Poetry as Cultural Force…
Today in History–April 28–the Library of Congress features Billy Bitzer, who filmed the short comedy Stealing a Dinner for the American Mutoscope & Biograph Company on this date in 1899. Bitzer was a great pioneer of early film and shot thousands of movies, including the infamous The Birth of a Nation. Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the…