Today in History: United States Military Academy at West Point

Today in History: United States Military Academy at West Point

Today in History–March 16–the Library of Congress features United States Military Academy at West Point, founded on this date in 1802. Located on the Hudson River north of New York City,  West Point is one of the world’s oldest military service academies and was attended by many of the nation’s leading military commanders.  The academy is well…

World Spotlight: Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

World Spotlight: Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon prior to 1972. It has a long rich history. Prime Minister Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias was the world’s first woman prime minister, serving three terms: 1960-65, 1970-77, and 1994-2000. Sri Lanka country study Sri Lanka – Places in the News April 2009 Sri Lanka timeline BBC Sri Lanka maps U.S. veteran oral histories (service in…

Collections Spotlight: Katherine Dunham Selections

Collections Spotlight: Katherine Dunham Selections

This collection contains moving and still images, highlighting the dancer’s early explorations as an anthropologist observing movement types and dance forms in Haiti, Trinidad, Martinique, and Jamaica as well as Dunham performing and teaching. Collection resources Images Videos Notes on Dunham’s Work Katherine Dunham Timeline Katherine Dunham: A Life in Dance article Collecting a Career: The Katherine Dunham Legacy Project…

Lincoln's address at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery

Today in History: The Gettysburg Address

Today in History–November 19–the Library of Congress features the Gettysburg Address, delivered by Abraham Lincoln at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery on this date in 1863. Edward Everett, a well-known orator, delivered a two-hour speech. President Abraham Lincoln’s speech lasted only a few minutes. As the Library notes, “In spite of Lincoln’s disclaimer that ‘the…

The Russian cathedral and the harbor, Helsingfors, Russia, i.e., Helsinki, Finland

World Spotlight: Finland

Finland country study Finland country profile BBC Finland timeline BBC Finland primary source set from the World Digital Library Finland maps Finland image set The Finns in America Article: Finnish American Song Finnish song recordings Finland sheet music Conversation: [Finnish composer] Olli Kotekangas & Norman Scribner streaming webcast U.S. veteran oral histories (service in Finland) Foreign…

Planisphaerium coeleste : secundum restitutionem Hevelianam et Hallejanam

Primary Source Spotlight: Astronomy

Finding Our Place in the Cosmos: From Galileo to Sagan and Beyond Library collection Understanding the Cosmos primary source iBook Astronomy maps Astronomy images Astronomy books and articles Historical newspaper coverage: astronomy Astronomy and other “Onomies” sheet music The old country fiddler on astronomy audio recording Astronomy webcasts Everyday Mysteries: Astronomy U.S. legislation related to astronomy Astronomy: Selected…

A Plan for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery in the United States, without Danger or Loss to the Citizens of the South

Primary Source Spotlight: Abolition

Abolition newspapers Anti-Slavery Bugle (weekly) New-Lisbon, Ohio 1845-1861 The Examiner (weekly) Louisville, Kentucky 1847-1849 Primary source collections Abolition primary source set History of American Abolitionism 1861 More abolition books & articles Songs Related to the Abolition of Slavery Library of Congress article Abolition sheet music Abolition images Abolition webcasts Abolition in D.C. primary source collections Album: Abolitionist Cartoons and Images John Brown primary source…

Chicora the original name of Carolina

State Spotlight: South Carolina

South Carolina stories from America’s Library South Carolina primary source set with teacher’s guide South Carolina resource guide Featured Source: Destruction of the Snake of South Carolina South Carolina maps South Carolina books & articles South Carolina historical newspapers South Carolina sheet music South Carolina oral histories, songs & dialect recordings South Carolina WPA life histories South Carolina images South Carolina legislation South…

President Warren G. Harding and his cabinet posed on the White House Lawn, with photographers

Presidential Spotlight: Warren G. Harding

Ask students to deduce which man in the picture above is President Warren G. Harding, using specific details from the image to support their answer. Presidential Election of 1920 resource guide Warren G. Harding 1921 presidential inauguration primary source set Warren G. Harding images President Harding and Calvin Coolidge film Warren G. Harding-Carrie Fulton Phillips correspondence…

Literary Map of Ohio

State Spotlight: Ohio

Ohio stories from America’s Library Ohio primary source set with Teacher’s Guide Ohio maps Ohio images from American Memory More Ohio images Ohio films Ohio books & articles Ohio reports, correspondence & other texts Ohio historical newspaper collection Ohio sheet music Ohio songs & oral histories (audio recordings) Ohio legislation Ohio Guide to Law Online First American West: The Ohio…

Massachusetts: Frederick Douglass

State Spotlight: Massachusetts

Massachusetts primary source set with Teacher’s Guide Massachusetts maps Pictorial Americana: Selected images of Massachusetts More Massachusetts images The Mohawk Trail Region primary source set Photographs of the sea floor of western Massachusetts Bay July 1999 Films and event recordings related to Massachusetts Massachusetts oral histories Massachusetts song recordings Massachusetts sheet music Song sheets related to Massachusetts Massachusetts books &…