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…
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…
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,…
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,…
John Philip Sousa biography John Philip Sousa timeline John Philip Sousa and the Culture of Reassurance article The Sousa March: A Personal View article The March King: John Philip Sousa collection items Sousa’s Birthday NLS Music Notes blog November 13, 2014 Sousa and the Talking Machine May 19, 2020 Stars and Stripes Forever … Literally Library of Congress blog…
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was a lecturer in mathematics at the University of Oxford and amateur photographer but he is better known by his pen name, Lewis Carroll (1832-1898). Charles Lutwidge Dodgson: A Chronology of His Life The Lewis Carroll Scrapbook 1855-1898 Lewis Carroll Lewis Carroll Biography Bio The life and letters of Lewis Carroll (Rev. C.L. Dodgson) 1899…
Books by Vachel Lindsay Adventures while preaching the gospel of beauty c. 1914 A handy guide for beggars, especially those of the poetic fraternity 1916 The golden book of Springfield 1920 “General William Booth enters into Heaven” lyrics by Vachel Lindsay (video of song performance) Vachel Lindsay historic newspaper coverage through 1922 Vachel Lindsay images Illinois…
Amelia Earhart felt she was meant to fly. In 1932, she became the first woman to pilot a plane across the Atlantic Ocean and three years later, in 1935, she became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific from Hawaii to California. On July 2, 1937, towards the end of her round-the-world flight over the…
Leading the procession from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial More A. Philip Randolph images A. Philip Randolph historical newspaper coverage The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters A. Philip Randolph letter to NAACP Secretary Walter White March 18, 1941 The Negro in National Defense 1941 poster Why Should We March? 1941 flyer Executive Order 8802: Prohibition of…
From America’s Library: Born: July 11, 1767 Died: Feb. 23, 1848 John Quincy Adams was the sixth president of the United States and the first son of a former president who himself became president. (George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush are the only other father-son presidents.) John Quincy Adams was well known for his diplomatic success…
Today in History–May 2–the Library of Congress features politician James F. Byrnes, born on this date in 1882. Byrnes represented South Carolina in the House (1911-25) and Senate (1931-41) and was only defeated once, in 1924, for refusing endorsement by the Ku Klux Klan. Byrnes also served as a Supreme Court justice, U.S. secretary of state and Governor of South…
Today in History–April 29–the Library of Congress features jazz great Duke Ellington, born on this date in 1899. Ellington started to play piano at age 7 and wrote his first song–Soda Fountain Rag–at age 15. By his late teens, he was earning enough money to help his parents move into a better house. Ellington’s musical versatility was astounding and…