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Category: Women’s History

A black, white and grey photo of a classroom. On the right side the teacher sits in front of a chalkboard. On the left of the image the class sits studying globes.

Eclipsed No More: Women Astronomers You Should Know

Posted by: Meg Metcalf

“First, no woman should say, ‘I am but a woman!’ But a woman! What more can you ask to be?” – Maria Mitchell (1818-1889), American Astronomer Meteor showers, comets, eclipses, and other celestial events have captured human interest and imagination for thousands of years. Astronomical phenomena have long been speculated over in the press, and …

Three mastheads and headlines from the front pages of The Echo, The Daily Bulletin, and the Omaha Guide.

Mary McLeod Bethune: Newspapers and Comic Books

Posted by: Joanna Colclough

Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955) dedicated her whole life to advocating for civil rights, especially the education of youth. You can find her work making headlines in Chronicling America newspapers, as well as her friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and other high profile people of the day. Even some comic books featured her biography.

Truman Capote, half-length portrait, facing front, holding hands with Katharine Graham at the masked ball Black and White Ball.Capote wears a tuxedo and holds hands with Katharine Graham, who is wearing a white dress and a masquerade mask.

Capote & The Swans Make Headlines

Posted by: Meg Metcalf

Acclaimed author Truman Capote was born in 1924 in New Orleans. An openly gay man from the deep south, Capote defied social expectations and lived his life authentically despite the risk. Known for his small stature and large personality, he surrounded himself with the most famous, fashionable, and wealthy women in New York, whom he …

Black and white image of Nellie Bly, newspaper journalist, in a Victorian-style, houndstooth button-down dress holding a handbag in her left hand and a hat in her right hand.

“Behind Asylum Bars:” Nellie Bly Reporting from Blackwell’s Island.

Posted by: Amber Paranick

“Could I pass a week in the insane ward at Blackwell’s Island? I said I could and I would. And I did.” In 1887, investigative journalist for the New York World newspaper Nellie Bly went undercover to expose the dreadful conditions at the Women’s Lunatic Asylum, a mental institution on Blackwell’s Island. Read more about Bly’s fearless investigation and how her work forever changed the field of journalism.

A child carrying a bundle of newspapers in one hand, the other arm held high with a copy of the Anchorage Daily Times, the headline reading

Ms. Marvel: More Than Your Average Superhero

Posted by: Mike Queen

Before you stream Ms. Marvel, here’s a sneak peek at the comic book series that inspired the new series. Ms. Marvel is just one of many diverse comic books available in the Library of Congress’ collection of 12,000 plus titles and over 160,000 original print issues. They span genres from Black to Latinx to LGBTQ+ …