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Archive: April 2021 (6 Posts)

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On the Wings of a Flight of Geese: Arabic, Persian, and Ottoman Calligraphy Sheets at the Library of Congress – Part 2

Posted by: Muhannad Salhi

This blogpost introduces Persian calligraphic styles: Ta'liq, Shikastah, and Nasta'liq. This is the second installment of a three-part series that examines the various styles of Arabic calligraphy used in the Arab and Islamic world. The Arabic, Persian and Ottoman Calligraphy collection is housed in the African and Middle Eastern Division of the Library of Congress.

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Celebrating Indigenous Voices: New Poetry and Literature Recordings in the PALABRA Archive

Posted by: Anchi Hoh

The Hispanic Reading Room of the Library of Congress launches The PALABRA Indigenous Voices Project, a new initiative to increase the presence of Indigenous poetry and literature in the historic PALABRA Archive. Through partnerships with scholars and organizations with direct access to Indigenous communities around Latin America, curators hope to shine a light on a formerly under-represented group in this collection.

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Ravens, Lemons, and Peste: 19th-Century Maritime Health Certificates in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress

Posted by: Taru Spiegel

In the 18th and 19th centuries, ships carried health certificates to reassure local officials that the places they came from were free of contagion. These filled a function something like the “vaccine passports” or “immunity passports” that are under discussion today because of Covid-19.