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New Website Available for Of the People: Widening the Path

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We are thrilled to announce the launch of the website for Of the People: Widening the Path which can be accessed at loc.gov/of-the-people  The new site serves as the online home for the Library’s multi-year initiative that creates new opportunities for more Americans to engage with the Library of Congress and to add their perspectives to the Library’s collections, allowing the national library to share a more inclusive American story. Under the direction of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, and in response to the national conversation about civil rights, the Library continues to reimagine how it can address the unequal ways in which libraries, archives and schools preserve and present the American story.

This blog actually launched back in January to coincide with the announcement of Of the People which promotes outreach to and technology innovation and archives development for, and by, Black, Indigenous and other communities of color historically underrepresented in the U.S. and in the Library’s collections. Of the People: Widening the Path is supported by a $15 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon foundation and has four main components:

  • Learn. Of the People seeks to increase opportunities to develop, manage, preserve and use resources and resource tools across the Library’s collections.
  • Collect and Preserve. Of the People aims to empower people who live and work in underrepresented communities to gather, preserve and share their histories through audiovisual documentation.
  • Represent. Of the People intends to add and amplify the stories of people whose voices have traditionally been minimized through programs that support innovative exploration and engagement with Library collections.
  • Legacy. As part of the Library’s vision to connect all Americans and to empower new generations and diverse audiences to explore its treasures, Of the People supports diverse and inclusive participation in the creation and perpetuation of the nation’s historical and creative record.

To date, a number of grants, internships, and positions have been announced for Of the People and are searchable on this very blog. You can still follow along and subscribe to this blog for updates on the plans and progress of this exciting new initiative. Visit the Of the People website for general program information, news, events, and more.

Comments (3)

  1. This is wonderful! I want to add my great grandmother of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas! She was born in 1895 and her young mother, Gumesinda Lopez died of an infection after birthing her younger brother in 1898. She was half indigenous and all Mexican from across the Rio Bravo in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico and as a young woman would beat her families clothes to wash them on the banks of the Rio Grande River (Rio Bravo), she kept goats and chickens and raised several children and owned her own bakery and home. I have found her parents Juan Jose Lopez Quiros and Merced Lopez Ramirez from Zacatecas and her grandparents Juan Jose Lopes and Petra Quiros, and Gabriel Lopez and Luz Ramirez via FamilySearch and Ancestry and want to tell her story as much as I can! She lived into the 1980’s as a healthy “young” woman who married for love again in her 70’s!

  2. What are the 2022 deadline for individual wishing to apply for the Of The People Widening the Path grants?

    • Hi William: We do not have a date yet. Please continue to check this blog for future information. Thank you!

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