This year’s celebration of Pride Month wrapped up this week and we wanted to highlight an important figure in the history of blues music whose story has often been overlooked. Gertrude “Ma” Rainey was hailed as the “Mother of the Blues” and was a bisexual Black singer who has and continues to inspire generations of musicians. […]
In honor of Juneteenth, we highlight our Headlines and Heroes blogs focusing on African American history and culture, ranging from a look at fugitive slave ads to our acquisition of a rare comic book series, Negro Romance.
Harriet Tubman escaped slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in 1849. She then returned there multiple times, risking her life to bring others to freedom as a renowned conductor on the Underground Railroad.
Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919) was one of the first American women to become a self-made millionaire through her company, Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing. Though she had no formal education, she gained a wide reputation as an African American entrepreneur in the cosmetics industry and manufacturer of a hair remedy, which she coined the “Walker System.” […]
As COVID-19 changes our world, we rely on our medical community to care for us and our loved ones more than ever. But their names rarely make the headlines despite their tireless efforts and personal risk. So in honor of National Nurses Week, we are dedicating this issue to all of those nurses who are […]
As April’s National Poetry Month ends, here’s your chance to read compelling poetry found in the millions of pages in our online historical newspaper collections.
This piece was co-written by my colleague Megan Halsband. To celebrate the 220th anniversary of its founding, on Friday, April 24, 2020, the Library of Congress is highlighting some of the many gifts and resources we have been able to provide because of your contributions. Your creativity and knowledge help us build our Web Archiving collections […]
Have you tried searching our new online collection: Frederick Douglass Newspapers, 1847-1874? We’ve just added some additional issues of The North Star and Frederick Douglass’ Paper, all digitized from original paper format.
Chronicling America provides free access to more than 16 million pages (and growing!) of historic American newspapers. Below is a sampling of guides we’ve created over the years that help you explore African American history in our digital newspaper collections. Stay tuned: we have big plans to add more guides – if you have any […]
Two days after Mississippi is readmitted to the Union on February 23, 1870, Hiram Revels, a schoolmaster and preacher, becomes the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate.