The Draft Riots of 1863 : A Historical Study Read at the Meeting of the Ohio Commandery Civil War draft riots Civil War induction officer with lottery box photograph Civil War Conscription Laws In Custodia Legis November 15, 2012 Freemen! Avoid Conscription! 1862 broadside Abraham's draft, 600,000 more 1862 sheet music Southern "volunteers" 1862 political cartoon The Conscription Bill speech of Hon. S.S. Cox, of Ohio delivered on February 26, 1863 Abraham Lincoln … [Read more...]
Primary Source Spotlight: Fannie Lou Hamer
March 7, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Fannie Lou Hamer, Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party delegate, at the Democratic National Convention, Atlantic City, New Jersey August 1964 | curator's note Jury Frees Five Law Officers in Miss. Beating The Detroit Tribune. (Detroit, Mich.), 21 Dec. 1963 Civil Rights oral histories mentioning Fannie Lou Hamer Euvester Simpson Charles McLaurin Maria Varela Jennifer Lawson Peggy Jean Connor Fannie Lou Hamer primary source album TPS Teachers Network Fannie Lou Hamer … [Read more...]
Collections Spotlight: African American Perspectives
February 14, 2021 by Leave a Comment
"African American Perspectives" gives a panoramic and eclectic review of African American history and culture and is primarily comprised of two collections in the Rare Book and Special Collections Division: the African American Pamphlet Collection and the Daniel A.P. Murray Collection with a date range of 1822 through 1909. Most were written by African-American authors, though some were written by others on topics of particular importance in African-American history. Among the authors … [Read more...]
Primary Source Learning: Inaugural Poems & Poets
January 24, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Poetry has a long history of addressing and illuminating public issues and events but a disjointed and relatively short history of inclusion in presidential inauguration ceremonies. These moments, however, provide additional nuance to the state of the country during these important transitional moments in our nation. Use the links below to read and listen to the inaugural poems; to analyze, compare and contrast the insightful and verses; and to learn more about the poets who penned and performed … [Read more...]
Timely Connections: Frederick Douglass & the Emancipation Memorial
June 29, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Amid calls for removal of the Emancipation Memorial, also called the Freedmen’s Monument, in Washington D.C. and a replica of it in Boston, Washington Post reporter DaNeen L. Brown considers the statue and takes a look back at a speech made by Frederick Douglass at the D.C. unveiling ceremony on April 14, 1876. In the speech, Douglass recognizes the dichotomy of Lincoln's views on slavery while ultimately celebrating the proclamation. If Harriet Hosmer's design for the memorial—four … [Read more...]
Timely Connections: State of the Union as Civic Learning Opportunity
February 3, 2020 by Leave a Comment
The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) has put together a list of resources for educators to help students understand, analyze, and respond to the upcoming State of the Union. The resources are divided into sections that include the following: Youth Perspectives, the Speech and Its Media Coverage, and Background Lessons. Check out this excellent list along with resources from the Primary Source Nexus and the Library of Congress. Using the State of … [Read more...]
Collections Spotlight: Works by Civil War Era African American Women
March 28, 2018 by Leave a Comment
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. Autobiographies & Biographies Sarah H. Bradford 1818-1912 Harriet, the Moses of Her People 1886 Scenes in the Life of … [Read more...]
Timely Connections: Frederick Douglass & Scientific Racism
February 28, 2018 by Leave a Comment
In an opinion piece for the New York Times, Eric Herschthal, a fellow at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library, suggests that we remember Frederick Douglass "as someone whose insights about scientific theories of race are every bit as relevant in our era as they were when he wrote them." Take a look at the examples Herschthal provides about Douglass' efforts to challenge scientific racism, including ethnology or, as it was sometimes referred to, "the … [Read more...]
Today in History: Compromise of 1850
September 20, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–September 20–the Library of Congress features the abolishment of the slave trade in Washington D.C., which was a feature of a legislative package known as the Compromise of 1850. Learn more by reading the Today in History section, then clicking the links below to access related primary & secondary sources. Compromise of 1850: American Treasures of the Library of Congress Compromise of 1850 timeline and select documents January 29, 1850 : Senator Henry Clay … [Read more...]
Teaching Now: Using Primary Sources with 21st-Century Learners
June 7, 2017 by 1 Comment
This is a guest post from veteran teacher Heather Klos, an 8th grade U.S. history teacher and the Social Studies department chair at Crownover Middle School in Corinth, Texas. As an early American history teacher, I know it is important to use primary sources effectively with my 8th grade students. Analyzing primary sources can be very difficult for students, but it is usually my end-game when working with these documents. I have found that breaking down the documents into manageable chunks … [Read more...]
Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. Check out our 