Today in History: Frank Kameny

Today in History: Frank Kameny

Today in History–April 17–the Library of Congress features pioneering gay rights activist Frank (Franklin E.) Kameny, who led the first organized White House picket for gay rights on this date in 1965 with the Mattachine Society of Washington. Prior to that, in 1961, he was the first person  to petition the Supreme Court with a discrimination claim based on sexual…

Today in History: Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Today in History: Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Today in History—March 25—the Library of Congress features the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. On this date in 1911, nearly 150 workers, many of whom were young, recent immigrants, lost their lives in this tragic incident. The tragedy did, however, help spur countless workers to organize for greater safety protections. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below…

Collections Spotlight: The Green Man, Jack in the Green & Robin Hood

Collections Spotlight: The Green Man, Jack in the Green & Robin Hood

Learn about the Green Man, a figure from traditional folk culture, in this series of posts from the Library of Congress Folklife Today blog. Then click the links to related resources from the Library’s digital collections. Green Man Folklife Today blog posts More Library blog posts Historical newspaper resources Page about Jack in the Green…

Primary Source Spotlight: Yellowstone National Park

Primary Source Spotlight: Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone became the United States’ first national park on March 1, 1872. Act Establishing Yellowstone National Park: Primary Documents in American History Report upon the Yellowstone National Park to the Secretary of the Interior 1879 Creating Yellowstone National Park legislation primary source set Yellowstone National Park images Yellowstone National Park maps Yellowstone Park Guide: A…

Today in History: Paul Robeson

Today in History: Paul Robeson

Today in History–September 04–the Library of Congress features Paul Robeson, who sang at an outdoor concert near Peekskill, New York, to a mixed-race audience of more than 20,000 people on this date in 1949. Violence followed the performance. Learn more about the Peekskill Riots and this artist, activist, and polymath/polyglot by visiting the Today in History section and then clicking the…

Collections Spotlight: Earthquakes

Collections Spotlight: Earthquakes

Earthquake damage photos Earthquake films & videos Earthquake maps Earthquake oral histories And behold there was a great earthquake, an Easter anthem sheet music Books, reports & other texts about earthquakes U.S. historical newspaper coverage: earthquakes U.S. legislation related to earthquakes Global Legal Monitor articles related to earthquakes U.S. Geological Survey: Earthquake Hazards Library blog…

Primary Source Spotlight: Flint Sit-Down Strike

Primary Source Spotlight: Flint Sit-Down Strike

Labor strategists confer with heads image Jan. 12, 1937 Head of U.A.W. (United Auto Workers) Women’s Auxiliary kitchen set up in a restaurant image Jan.-Feb., 1937 More Flint strike photos Flint factory video Flint sit down 1936-37 historical newspaper coverage Flint strike 1936-37 historical newspaper coverage The Flint, Michigan, Sit-Down Strike resource guide Flint Sit-Down Strike (1936-1937)…

City Spotlight: St. Louis

City Spotlight: St. Louis

Pictorial St. Louis, a topographical survey Pictorial St. Louis – The Great Metropolis of the Mississippi Valley Teaching with the Library More St. Louis maps St. Louis images St. Louis films Sheet music related to St. Louis Veteran oral histories with service in St. Louis, Missouri The St. Louis Republic 01-01-1900 – 01-02-1906 Pictorial Guide…

Primary Source Spotlight: Mississippi River

Primary Source Spotlight: Mississippi River

Mississippi River maps Mississippi River images Civil War Mississippi River Fleet image set The River 1938 film Audio recordings related to the Mississippi River songs & oral histories The Mississippi River 1851 sheet music Correspondence related to the Mississippi River Reports & other texts related to the Mississippi River Mississippi River historical newspaper articles &…

Finding Resources: American Archive of Public Broadcasting

Finding Resources: American Archive of Public Broadcasting

OVERVIEW The American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB) is a collaboration between the Library of Congress and WGBH Educational Foundation. It was founded in 2013 “to coordinate a national effort to identify, preserve, and make accessible as much as possible the historical record of publicly funded broadcasting in the U.S.” It now features contributors from…