Whether you observe the end of a year or the coming of a new one, you probably have a way you like to celebrate. I spend my New Year’s Eve cozy at home with a good cup of cocoa, but others may choose sequins and bubbly. A glimpse into our collections shows a whole panoply …
I find the relationship between words and pictures endlessly intriguing. Sometimes I type a single word into the Prints & Photographs Online Catalog simply to see what variety it turns up. It’s a little like the best parts of opening a gift: full of surprises and meaning. The other day, I was meditating on the …
Hurrah! Hurrah for the Christmas Ship As it starts across the sea With its load of gifts and its greater load Of loving sympathy. –“Hurrah! Hurrah for the Christmas Ship,” song written and composed by Henry S. Sawyer Even prior to America’s entry into the First World War, U.S. Navy vessels were pressed into special holiday service …
While recently browsing through the National Photo Company collection, I paused when I saw this photograph. My first thought was “what happened to the top of the tree?” After puzzling about the tree for a while, I looked closer at the gathering of the Dickey family. I had to smile as I have been in …
Whether you like your brew light, dark, milky or sweet, this chilly weather leaves many reaching for a hot cup of coffee to warm up and wake up. As I sipped my own morning cup, I wondered what images our collections would hold of my coffee drinking comrades. I searched our holdings for relatable and …
This year we have special and moving cause to be grateful and to rejoice. God has in His good pleasure given us peace. It has not come as a mere cessation of arms, a mere relief from the strain and tragedy of war. It has come as a great triumph of right. Complete victory has …
In the latest installment in our occasional series, Double Take, we take a first – and second look – at the photo below. View the image and remember your very first impression before scrolling down to read further. Despite all evidence to the contrary, the first thought in my mind about this photo was: Girl …
On Veterans Day, Americans recognize and thank those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Initially known as Armistice Day and marking the cessation of major hostilities in World War I, the holiday grew to include all veterans, and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. Crowds turn out in droves to watch parades of …
The following is an interview featuring Jan Grenci, Reference Specialist – Posters, Prints and Photographs Division. Many may ask if campaign posters make a difference in political elections. Some of us will stick a sign in our lawn, and others may simply see posters hung in storefront windows. With another election upon us, I turned …