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...]
Finding Resources: Story Maps
February 3, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Story Maps are immersive web applications that tell the incredible stories of the Library’s collections through narrative, multimedia, and interactive maps. The story maps are created within a Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based software platform created by Esri. Story Maps are chock full of primary sources, including photographs, illustrations, texts, newspaper articles, and even maps. “I find story maps to be a twenty-first-century tool for a twenty-first-century library,” said … [Read more...]
Collection Spotlight: Women Photojournalists
March 19, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Below you will find links to biographies, images, and more resources related to women photojournalists from the Library of Congress. Documenting World War I: Women Photographers on the Front Lines Teaching with the Library of Congress Late 1800s and early 1900s Jessie Tarbox Beals (1870-1942) bio Ladies Behind the Lens Library of Congress Blog November 29, 2016 Birches at the Sprague Smith Studio (source record | curator note) More Jessie Tarbox Beals photographs … [Read more...]
Today in History: Ernest Hemingway
July 21, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–July 21–the Library of Congress features writer Ernest Hemingway, born on this day in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois. Like his father, Hemingway was a hunting and outdoors enthusiast. Seeking adventure, he served as an ambulance driver in Italy in World War I, reported on the Spanish Civil War, and worked as a foreign correspondent in Europe during World War II. Hemingway received a Pulitzer Prize in 1953 for his novel The Old Man and the Sea and the Nobel Prize for Literature in … [Read more...]
Today in History: Mathew Brady
February 27, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–February 27–the Library of Congress features Mathew Brady who photographed presidential hopeful Abraham Lincoln before a speech on this day in 1860. At successful studio photographer, Brady set out to document the people, places and events of the Civil War. The historical impact of the endeavor is priceless but at the time, left him penniless. Find out more about the father of photojournalism by visiting the Today in History section and clicking the links below. Mathew B. … [Read more...]
Primary Source Spotlight: W.E.B. Du Bois
February 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment
From America's Library: Born: February 23, 1868 Died: August 27, 1963 William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was a noted scholar, editor, and African American activist. Du Bois was a founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP -- the largest and oldest civil rights organization in America). Throughout his life Du Bois fought discrimination and racism. He made significant contributions to debates about race, politics, and history in the United States in the … [Read more...]
Presidential Spotlight: John Tyler
February 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment
From America’s Library: Born: March 29, 1790 Died: January 18, 1862 John Tyler, 10th president of the United States, was called "His Accidency" by his foes because he was the first president to get the job without being elected to it. He took the helm when President Harrison died after only one month in office. Tyler had other "firsts" as president: His first wife was the first wife to die while her husband was still president, and he was the first president to marry while in … [Read more...]
Today in History: George Gershwin & Gullah Culture
September 2, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–September 2–the Library of Congress features George Gershwin, who completed the orchestral score of the opera—Porgy and Bess—based on the DuBose Heyward novel on this date in 1935. The opera, like the novel, depicted the African-American Gullah culture of South Carolina. Learn more about this remarkable man and his collaborators on the internationally known opera by visiting the Today in History section and clicking the links below. Porgy and Bess: American Treasure (online … [Read more...]
Today in History: John Trumbull
June 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–June 6–the Library of Congress features artist John Trumbull, born on this day in 1756 in Lebanon, Connecticut. Before he began painting, this son of Connecticut governor Jonathan Trumbull, served as an aide to General George Washington during the Revolution. Trumbull painted portraits of leading figures of the day and is best known for his historical paintings that adorn the rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., including the Declaration of … [Read more...]
Today in History: Ella Fitzgerald
April 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–April 25–the Library of Congress features Ella Fitzgerald, born on this date in 1917. One of the greatest jazz singers of all time, Fitzgerald got her start at Amateur Night at Harlem's Apollo Theater and went on to win 13 Grammys, including two of the first awarded in 1958. Learn more about this legendary vocal artist by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access some more primary sources. Ella Fitzgerald Was Born from America's … [Read more...]
New York voted to ratify the U.S. Constitution in Poughkeepsie. Check out our 
Liberia declared an independent republic. Check out our 