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Archive: May 2015 (8 Posts)

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

East Asian American Traditions

Posted by: Stephanie Hall

The earliest East Asian immigrants often had a difficult journey making their way to the United States. Many carried little with them but the cultural traditions they knew, such as language, stories, religious customs, foodways, music, song, and dance. Chinese Americans Chinese immigrants, mainly Cantonese speakers from Guangdong, were among the first Asians to come …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Students Connecting with Veterans: The Harlem Veteran Project

Posted by: Megan Harris

In a satisfying moment of blog synchronicity, while we at the Veterans History Project are celebrating the accomplishments of our volunteer interviewers, another LC blog is focusing on student interviewers–specifically, those at Harlem High School in Machesney Park, Illinois. In a blog post on  Teaching With the Library of Congress, Harlem High School teachers Nick …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

VHP’s 15th Anniversary: Year of the Interviewer

Posted by: Megan Harris

The following is a guest post by Monica Mohindra, Head of Program Communication and Coordination, Veterans History Project. Did you ever work or live someplace that had inspiring quotes or poetry on the walls? “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” These evocative words from Maya Angelou have graced the …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Alan Lomax in Italy: a letter to Goffredo Plastino

Posted by: Stephen Winick

At the American Folklife Center, researchers come from around the world to study our unparalleled documentation of traditional culture. But sometimes, they don’t even have to come here. Occasionally, new discoveries by our staff are so exciting or so curious that we feel prominent researchers need to know. For this reason, our reference librarians keep …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Lead Belly, Alan Lomax and the Relevance of a Renewed Interest in American Vernacular Music

Posted by: Stephen Winick

The following is a guest blog post by Dom Flemons, a musician and singer who currently tours and records as “The American Songster.”  Dom was one of the founders of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, with whom he has played at the Library of Congress’s Coolidge Auditorium, and with whom he won a GRAMMY Award.  Dom …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

The End of Two Wars

Posted by: Megan Harris

May 8, 1945: The Allies accept Germany’s unconditional surrender, thus marking the end of the war in Europe. Despite the fact that the war is not yet over, the world celebrates; there is dancing in the streets of cities from London to Los Angeles. The date becomes known as V-E Day, or “Victory in Europe …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

What is it About May?

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

I confess. I always get a little giddy in May. Maybe it’s because the longer, warmer days of May mark the impending arrival of summer, my absolute favorite season. Yes, I am one of the rare lovers of brutally hot, humid DC summers. Or maybe May brings out the giddiness in me because I admire …