Primary sources, as described by the Library of Congress, "are the raw materials of history — original documents and objects that were created at the time under study. They are different from secondary sources, accounts that retell, analyze, or interpret events, usually at a distance of time or place. Bringing young people into close contact with these unique, often profoundly personal documents and objects can give them a sense of what it was like to be alive during a long-past era. Helping … [Read more...]
Primary Source Spotlight: Louise Glück
Louise Glück is an award-winning American poet—2020 Nobel Prize for Literature, the 2014 National Book Award, 1993 Pulitzer Prize, and 1992 Bobbitt Prize, among others—who also served as a Special Bicentennial Consultant from 1999-2000 and the U.S. Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry from 2003-2004 at the Library of Congress. Event video recordings Louise Glück Reads Her Poetry Jan. 29, 1988 (1:05:08) Bicentennial Symposium: Poetry & the American People Apr. 4, 2000 … [Read more...]
World Spotlight: Pakistan
Pakistan: Places in the News articles Pakistan country profile Pakistan country study Pakistan profile BBC Pakistan timeline BBC Pakistan primary sources from the World Digital Library Pakistan maps Pakistan images Audio recordings related to Pakistan Pakistan: U.S. veteran’s oral histories Alan Lomax Collection Manuscripts, Pakistani indigenous singing groups Manuscripts, Performance style, Choreometrics, sources, Correspondence and notes by culture, … [Read more...]
Today in History: County and State Fairs
Today in History–August 22–the Library of Congress features county and state fairs, many of which are held around this date. County and state fairs feature entertainment as well as showcase the agricultural industry and rural lifestyles. Learn more by reviewing the Today in History section, then click the links below to access primary sources & more. County and State Fairs from America's Library County fair images A rube couple at a county fair 1904 film County fair audio … [Read more...]
Today in History: Haiti
Today in History–January 2–the Library of Congress features Haiti. On this date in 1893 Frederick Douglass, who once served as U.S. minister to this caribbean country, delivered an address at the dedication of the Haitian Pavilion at the World’s Columbian Exposition. Learn more Douglass' speech and the country by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access related primary and secondary sources. Lecture on Haiti, Frederick Douglass, January 2, 1893 Frederick … [Read more...]
Primary Source Spotlight: Billy Collins
Billy Collins served as the U.S. Poet Laureate from 2001-2003 and then as New York State Poet Laureate from 2004-2006. Collins is the author of 11 books of poetry and was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2016. Integrating Tech: Poetry 180 a project of U.S. U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins Video Poetry 180: Bookfest 02 Poet Laureate Billy Collins Reads his Poems Everyday Moments Caught in Time Ted2012 2014 Book Festival Video (Poetry) 2014 Book … [Read more...]
Primary Source Spotlight: Stanley Kunitz
Award-winning poet Stanley Kunitz was born in 1905 in Worcester, Massachusetts and died in 2006. Kunitz authored 12 poetry collections, one of which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1959 and another, which won the National Book Award in 1995; other honors include a National Medal of Arts, the Bollingen Prize, and the Robert Frost Medal. Kunitz also twice served as the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress (1974-1976 and 2000-2001). Audio Recordings of Stanley Kunitz … [Read more...]
Collection Spotlight: National Press Club Luncheon Speeches 1954-1989
The National Press Club, with more than a century of history behind it, is known for its luncheon gatherings that have featured U.S. presidents, visiting world leaders, and other prominent persons to address the media members and answer questions about current affairs. Now, with the collection Food for Thought: Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Other National Press Club Luncheon Speakers, the Library of Congress provides online access to digital recordings of the National Press Club lunchtime … [Read more...]