Portrait of two young African American women

Collections Spotlight: Works by Civil War Era African American Women

These digitized works were written by and about African American women who lived during the U.S. Civil War and include autobiographies, biographies, children’s books, novels, poetry, speeches and more. The authors and the works are listed below; click the section headers to access links to the online works. Some authors also have related resource links….

Individual influence

Timely Connections: Individual Influence

The article, In a Lost Essay, a Glimpse of an Elusive Poet and Slave (The New York Times Sept. 25, 2017), tells the intriguing story of the discovery of a primary source text by Jonathan Senchyne, an assistant professor of book history at the University of Wisconsin. The essay, “Individual Influence” by North Carolina slave and poet George…

The slaves' dream

Primary Source Spotlight: Slavery (U.S.)

Library slavery collections Slave narratives Frederick Douglass primary source set Frances Ann Kemble primary source set Books Correspondence & early texts Other texts Legislation Slavery newspapers Slavery maps Slave song recordings Slavery sheet music Slavery image set Slavery political cartoons PSN curated primary source collections related to slavery Library blog posts related to slavery Primary Source…

Twelve Years a Slave

Primary Source Learning: Oral Histories & Personal Narratives

LOC.gov contains numerous oral history and personal narrative resources. Check out the lists below! Teaching resources Analyzing Primary Sources: Learning from Oral Histories Learning from the Source: Chicago Meatpackers & the Unions Learning from the Source: Digital Stories of Our Heroes Learning from the Source: Media & Migrant Laborer Perspectives Primary Source Learning: September 11,…

Moses of her people - San Francisco Call

Primary Source Spotlight: Harriet Tubman

From America’s Library Born: c. 1820, Dorchester County, Maryland Died: March 10, 1913, Auburn, New York Harriet Tubman was a runaway slave from Maryland who became known as the “Moses of her people.” Over the course of 10 years, and at great personal risk, she led hundreds of slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad, a secret…

Slave market of America

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Slave Market of America

What contradiction does this broadside illustrate and discuss? Support your conclusion using specific details from the source. Who created this broadside? Using details from the source to support your responses, explain the purpose of this broadside and the intended audience. Review the bibliographic record for this source, in particular the summary. What more did you…

Synopsis of the fugitive slave law

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Synopsis of the Fugitive Slave Law

Review this synopsis of the fugitive slave law. Choose one of the synopsis points and find which part(s) of the fugitive law text the author drew from to create the summary. Use the text from the fugitive slave law to create your own synopsis using modern-day language. In the objections, the author states that the fugitive…

Practical illustration of the Fugitive Slave Law

Primary Source Spotlight: Fugitive Slave Law

Practical illustration of the Fugitive Slave Law Effects of the Fugitive-Slave-Law Triumph Fugitive slave law political cartoons Fugitive slave bill … Approved, September 18, 1850. Millard Fillmore Things to be remembered. Remember that the Whig administration of Millard Fillmore enacted the Fugitive Slave bill, in violation of the constitution and all the legal safeguards of…

The fugitive's song

Today in History: Frederick Douglass

Today in History–September 03–the Library of Congress features the escape from slavery of Frederick Douglass on this day in 1838. Born into slavery, Douglass became a renowned abolitionist, journalist, author, and human rights advocate. Learn more about this remarkable man who never ceased advocating for freedom by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more primary sources and primary source learning…

Celebration of the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia by the colored people

Today in History: Abolition in D.C.

Today in History–April 16–the Library of Congress features abolition. On this day in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed an act abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia. Learn more about the abolition of slavery in the United States capital by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access primary sources and teaching resources related to abolition…

Today in History: Amistad Mutiny Survivors Released

Today in History: Amistad Mutiny Survivors Released

Today in History–March 9–the Library of Congress features the Amistad mutiny survivors, released on this day in 1841 by the Supreme Court. Former president John Quincy Adams successfully argued the case and the former captives  eventually returned to Africa. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then clicking the links below to read Adams’ argument and access more…