José Rizal was a writer and Filipino nationalist who condemned the Catholic Church for its promotion of Spanish colonialism and founded the Liga Filipina, a political group dedicated to peaceful change. He was exiled and eventually executed but is recognized today as a national hero of the Philippines. José Rizal historical U.S. & Puerto Rico newspaper coverage…
Ralph Ellison historical newspaper coverage Harlem (as described by Leo Gurley) in interview by Ralph Ellison June 14, 1939 Ralph Ellison Invisible Man 1952 Book Cover with curator’s note Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man draft pages and portrait with curator’s note Ralph Ellison, Reading from a Novel in Progress Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature March 28,…
Today in History–August 5–the Primary Source Nexus features Toni Morrison, who died at the age of 88 on this date in 2019. Her novel Beloved won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1988 and Morrison was awarded the 1993 Nobel Prize in literature for “novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, [giving] life to…
Gordon Parks was born on Nov. 30, 1912 and died on March 7, 2006. A highly influential photographer, he contributed to the Farm Security Administration, Life Magazine, and Vogue, and also wrote books and poetry, composed music, and directed movies. Gordon Parks photographs History & Heritage, Joy & Humanity select photographs by Gordon Parks Trumpet…
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…
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was a lecturer in mathematics at the University of Oxford and amateur photographer but he is better known by his pen name, Lewis Carroll (1832-1898). Charles Lutwidge Dodgson: A Chronology of His Life The Lewis Carroll Scrapbook 1855-1898 Lewis Carroll Lewis Carroll Biography Bio The life and letters of Lewis Carroll (Rev. C.L. Dodgson) 1899…
Today in History–September 15–the Library of Congress features writer Robert Penn Warren, who died on this date in 1989. A novelist and poet who won a Pulitzer Prize for his novel All the Kings Men and two Pulitzers for his poetry, Warren was also a teacher, critic. He also served as poetry consultant for the Library from 1944-45 and as…
Today in History–September 13–the Library of Congress features writer Sherwood Anderson, born on this day in 1876. Sherwood worked as a copywriter before gaining success for his poetry, short stories, and novels. Learn more about this midwest scribe by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more resources about Sherwood and other American writers. Sherwood…
Today in History–January 7–the Library of Congress features writer Zora Neale Hurston, born on this date in 1891. She grew up in Eatonville, Florida, the first incorporated black town in the United States. Trained as an anthropologist, Hurston documented life histories and folklore, later using what she learned to inform her novels and plays. Learn more about this Harlem renaissance woman…
Today in History–November 30–the Library of Congress features Mark Twain, born on this date in 1835 as Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Learn more about this masterful American writer by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more Twain resources. Stories about Mark Twain America’s Library The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn web pageturner More books & articles by Mark Twain “A…
Today in History–September 25–the Library of Congress features writer William Faulkner, born on this day in 1897. Faulkner spent much of his youth in Oxford, Mississippi, later transforming what he knew into great literary works. A writer of deep insight, Faulkner also experimented with form and format; he won the 1949 Nobel Prize for Literature and two subsequent Pulitzer Prizes. Learn more about…
Today in History–September 24–the Library of Congress features writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, born on this day in 1896. Named for his distant cousin Francis Scott Key, author of the The Star-Spangled Banner. Fitzgerald also enjoyed instant success with his first writing effort, the novel This Side of Paradise. Five years later Fitzgerald’s most celebrated novel, The Great Gatsby, was published. Learn more…