Gold medals for the honour and merit of literary achievement

Today in History: Phi Beta Kappa

Today in History–December 5–the Library of Congress features America’s first university honor society, Phi Beta Kappa, founded on this day in 1776 at the College of William and Mary. Six years prior, the Governor of Virginia had proclaimed the intention to “give, annually, two gold medals for the honour and merit of literary achievement” to students of the…

Today in History: George Washington, Master Mason

Today in History: George Washington, Master Mason

Today in History–August 4–the Library of Congress features freemasonry. George Washington became a Master Mason, the highest rank in the Fraternity of Freemasonry, on this date in 1753. To learn more about freemasons and freemasonry, visit the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more primary sources. Free mason primary source set Freemason primary source set Free masonry primary source set…