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Posted by: Arlene Balkansky
On July 5, 1852, eminent African American abolitionist Frederick Douglass delivered a brilliant speech that was a powerful indictment of American slavery and racism. Read the speech as printed within days in his own newspaper.
Posted in: African American History, Biography, Digitized Newspapers, Holidays
Posted by: Amber Paranick
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 …
Posted in: African American History, Comic Books, Digitized Newspapers, Government Documents, Holidays, Newspapers, Web Archives, World War I
Posted by: Amber Paranick
This is a revision of the Headlines and Heroes 2019 International Women’s Day blog. Sunday, March 8, 2020, was International Women’s Day and today we return to our historical newspaper archives for stories featuring change-making women in newspapers searchable in Chronicling America. This database, sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of …
Posted in: Biography, Digitized Newspapers, Holidays, Women's History
Posted by: Malea Walker
Take a look at some of the amazing items that we acquired during 2019! From a 300 year-old newspaper to rare comic books.
Posted in: African American History, Comic Books, Holidays, Newspapers
Posted by: Heather Thomas
Holidays at the White House have evolved over the years from intimate family gatherings to national celebrations, ranging from an indoor snowball fight between grandchildren, to a first lady ride on a cherry picker! Discover how U.S. Presidents of the past celebrated Christmas. “Old Hickory,” President Andrew Jackson, threw an elaborate party for his grandchildren …
Posted in: Digitized Newspapers, Holidays, Newspapers, U.S. Presidents
Posted by: Megan Halsband
Dr. Daniel Peretti, Assistant Professor of Folklore at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, is the author of “Superman in Myth and Folklore” (University Press of Mississippi, 2017), as well as other essays on folklore, myth, and popular culture. His current research focuses on Santa Claus, ritual, and the traditions of Christmas. Here Dr. Peretti answers …
Posted in: Comic Books, Holidays, Let's Talk Comics
Posted by: Valerie Haeder
For a seemingly interminable 65 days the Mayflower was the floating home of pilgrims, officers and crew as they made their famous journey to America. For some it was a graveyard, and for others, a symbol of life renewed. Those who sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 are commonly known as pilgrims, but the sailors who …
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: Valerie Haeder
Why is there a Labor Day holiday celebrated in September when there already is a perfectly good labor day celebrated on May Day? While you will find no text book with a clear explanation—there is none—we can infer the reasons between the two days that honor the working man. May Day is the traditional day …
Posted in: Digitized Newspapers, Holidays