The United States Exploring Expedition, undertaken in the 1840s, is best known for its confirmation of the Antarctic land mass. This newly acquired manuscript of sea shanties provides an intriguing example of shipboard musical culture and preserves the way that sea shanties were notated during this four-year excursion.
The Music Division’s newest research guide, Stephen Sondheim: A Guide to Resources in the Library of Congress, serves as a portal for all things Sondheim in the Music Division’s collections. Research the musical theater titan in the Sondheim Papers, learn where to find Sondheim material in related special collections, and connect directly with digital resources including interviews with the composer.
What makes music feel “authentic”—and who decides what is worth preserving? Using the anime "Carole & Tuesday" as a case study, this blog traces how the American singer-songwriter tradition, including Joni Mitchell to Carole King, was canonized through the archival and copyright collections of the Library of Congress and reimagined through Japanese anime for global audiences.
It was a pleasure and a privilege to research the 100-year history of Concerts from the Library of Congress as a co-author (with Nicholas Brown-Cáceres) of a new book about the series, entitled “Let the People Hear It: Concerts from the Library of Congress at 100” (Library of Congress, 2026). The volume of incredible artists …
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Congress’s action that proclaimed American Ballet Theatre as “America’s National Ballet Company,” enjoy a peek at selected archival materials found in the Music and the Prints & Photographs divisions that document ABT’s history and achievements.
This blog post examines the lives and careers of Japanese American dancers Yuriko and Sono Osato, highlighting their artistic achievements alongside the challenges they faced during World War II. It highlights photographs and correspondence related to both dancers within Music Division collections, and points to Library of Congress resources.
Enjoy the Music Division’s tribute to Emily Dickinson during National Poetry Month through our sharing of choreographer Martha Graham’s dance “Letter to the World,” which honors Dickinson’s expressive writing.
The Music Division announces the first year for the 2026 Daniel Nagrin Research Fellowship, which supports travel to the Library of Congress for research projects related to choreographers Daniel Nagrin or his first wife, Helen Tamiris. This new fellowship has been made possible by a generous donation of the Daniel Nagrin Theatre, Film and Dance Foundation.
The Music Division announces the publication of finding aids for four recently processed special collections: the Rusty Warren Music Manuscripts, the Larry Miller Collection on Stephen Sondheim, the Ken Gross Research Materials on Cy Feuer, and the Beverly Emmons Papers.
