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Posted by: Malea Walker
These Halloween puzzles from Chronicling America are perfect for adults and children alike and go perfectly with a cup of hot apple cider.
Posted in: Digitized Newspapers, Free Puzzles, Halloween
Posted by: Mike Queen
Halloween is almost here! For a real fright on all hallows’ night, let’s delve into horror comics. I’ve always wondered what titles might make Batman’s Halloween reading list, so I decided to take a stab at it by combing through the depths of the Library of Congress’ vast comic book collection and came up with …
Posted in: Comic Books, Halloween, Holidays
Posted by: Heather Thomas
Carving pumpkins, trick-or-treating, and wearing scary costumes are some of the time-honored traditions of Halloween. Yet, the Halloween holiday has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced "SAH-win"), a pagan religious celebration to welcome the harvest at the end of summer, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor saints. Soon after, All Saints Day came to incorporate some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before All Saints Day was known as All Hallows Eve, and later, Halloween. Here is a look at the origins of some of the classic Halloween traditions we know today.
Posted in: Digitized Newspapers, Halloween, Holidays, Newspapers
Posted by: Malea Walker
Tales of hauntings around Washington, D.C., are a tradition that goes back hundreds of years. From presidents and soldiers to local residents, the ghosts are said to haunt both official buildings and houses. Read more about where to find these ghosts and spooks.
Posted in: Digitized Newspapers, Halloween, Holidays, Mystery
Posted by: Amber Paranick
This post was written by Rachel Gordon, Visitor Services Specialist in the Library’s Center for Learning, Literacy and Engagement. It was originally published on Minerva’s Kaleidoscope: Resources for Kids & Families Blog. For Halloween 2020, we’re all going to be staying much closer to home than is the norm. That made me wonder what we …
Posted in: Advertising, Digitized Newspapers, Halloween, Holidays, Recipes
Posted by: Amber Paranick
Have your Halloween costume picked out yet? Why not go dressed as Bessie McCoy, the original Yama Yama Girl? During the 1910s, the Yama Yama Girl costume was all the rage. But who was the Yama Yama Girl and why did people dress up as her? Stage actress and vaudeville performer Elizabeth G. McEvoy (also …
Posted in: Biography, Halloween, Holidays, Newspapers, Women's History
Posted by: Malea Walker
When Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley published her novel Frankenstein 200 years ago, she could not have imagined the liberties that would be taken with her characters in the future. Published in 1818, Frankenstein was a success and became so popular that the character of Frankenstein’s monster became a well-known image even in the 1800s. “Everybody, or nearly …
Posted in: Comic Books, Digitized Newspapers, Halloween