Top of page

Category: African Americans

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

Freedom Summer 1964 – SNCC remembers

Posted by: Guha Shankar

At the conclusion of his 2014 keynote address on guarantees enshrined in the Constitution but historically denied to African Americans, Bob Moses – freedom rights activist, educator, and MacArthur Genius award winner – summarized the state of the nation thus: “And we are a country that lurches. We lurch forward and backward, forward and backward. …

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

African American Art Dolls and Puppets for Identity and Healing

Posted by: Stephanie Hall

On February 18, 2020, the Library of Congress hosted an unusual event, a celebration of African American dolls and puppets sponsored by the American Folklife Center’s Benjamin Botkin Lecture Series. Folklorist Camila Bryce-Laporte and fellow artist, Dr. Deborah Grayson,  presented several artists from Maryland and the District of Columbia. The event also included a wonderful …

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

Chicago Blues and Jazz: A New Story Map on the Chicago Ethnic Arts Project Collection

Posted by: Michelle Stefano

In May, I wrote about a project that was keeping me busy, and providing a nice escape from the mental confines of my well-worn, Baltimore couch. While I cannot believe it is already August, I am happy to announce that the project is all set and ready to share! Chicago Blues and Jazz: Selections from …

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

Working Together Apart: Virtual 20th/20th Vision

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest blog post by Yvonne Brown, a processing technician for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project (VHP). It is the sixth in a series from VHP staff. Click on the following names to read previous articles in this series: Tamika Brown– Processing Technician Andrew Huber– Liaison Specialist Tracey Dodson– Administrative …

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

‘Yes, You Can’: The Rose Witherspoon Spence Story

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest post by Matt McCrady, a Digital Conversion Specialist for the Library of Congress. “It was a world of men,…We were trained and taught that our whole life was to make sure that these men were happy” Rose Witherspoon Spence was always a little “different.” That is the word she uses …

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

VHP’s Newest Online Feature: ‘First, Serve: Athletes in Uniform’

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest post by Matt McCrady, a Digital Conversion Specialist for the Library of Congress. Particularly during wartime, joining the military often means putting on hold important aspects of one’s life, such as college or marriage. Similarly, the unexpected draft notice can mean the end of a promising college athlete’s hope for …

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

Working Together Apart: Growing Even More Appreciative of Vietnam Veterans

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest blog post by Candace Milburn, a processing technician for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project (VHP). It is the fifth in a series from VHP staff. Click on the following names to read previous articles in this series: Tamika Brown– Processing Technician Andrew Huber– Liaison Specialist Tracey Dodson– Administrative …

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

Flashbulb Memories: Where Were You When…?

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

Flashbulb memories are those vivid, autobiographical memories that form when we learn of a particularly surprising, traumatic or impactful event. These kinds of memories burrow themselves deep into our memory banks, and often remain dormant until triggered to resurface. An image. A sound. A scent. Anything, really, can be the catalyst that sets the wheels …