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Two men stand on front steps of building.

Finding Pictures: Shawn Walker – Reflections

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

Join Curator Adam Silvia and renowned photographer Shawn Walker for a Finding Pictures webinar where they will debut their documentary interview on Walker’s life in photography, featuring images from the Shawn Walker Photograph Collection held in the Prints & Photographs Division of the Library of Congress. A founding member of the Kamoinge Workshop, a highly esteemed collective of Black photographers in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, Walker reflects on his youth growing up in Harlem, his journey to becoming a photographer, his experiences photographing in Cuba and Guyana and his creativity as an artist. Silvia and Walker will take questions from attendees afterwards.

The Floral Clock of Detroit

Posted by: Kristi Finefield

While researching clocks in the Prints & Photographs Division for a recent Flickr album, Around the Clock, a large flower-covered clock stood out. Enjoy the story of and more images of this wonder through photos from the early 20th century Detroit Publishing Company collection.

Close-up view of statue of golden flame, with New York City skyline in background.

Our Best Resource for Historic American Architecture, Engineering, and Landscapes

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

The following is a guest post by Helena Zinkham, Chief, Prints & Photographs Division. Do you need ideas for fixing up an old house? Close-up views of the Statue of Liberty? The dimensions of a Spanish mission? All that information and more is ready for you in the HABS/HAER/HALS Collection with 450,000 drawings, photographs, and …

The Greatest Show on Mud: Edwin Martin’s Photographs of Traveling Circuses

Posted by: Kristi Finefield

Last year photographer Edwin Martin generously placed 138 of his photographs of traveling circuses in the care of the Library of Congress. An extraordinary record of a challenging way of life, the collection is a testament to the hard work and dedication of circus members who, for over 200 years, have brought joy to the American people. In honor of World Circus Day (April 19th), we are sharing excerpts from a recent interview with Martin about his experiences.

Colorful postcard shows Southern Pacific Railroad car carrying larger-than-life lemon with printed Chinese or Japanese characters translated as January 1, New Year.

Finding Pictures: Postcards – Wish You Were Here!

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

Sample some images from the Library of Congress postcard collections in this post as we prepare to host a webinar on April 16 featuring a broad selection of postcards from the late 19th century forward. We hope this quick introduction will encourage you to watch the live event – or listen to the recording if you aren’t able to make it!

Design for product logo/label showing an elaborate dragon perched on a rectangular platform, all surrounded by administrative text.

Whimsy and Commerce: Magical Beings in the U.S. Patent Office Trademark Collection

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

In a recent post, we introduced a slew of newly processed or digitized collections. This week we are highlighting a newly available and graphically fun collection, the U.S. Patent Office Trademarks—brands, logos, and images registered between 1869 and 1911. We will do this through a selection of whimsical images featuring magical and mythical creatures such as fairies, dragons, mermaids, and gnomes.

Color lithographic print shows chocolates artfully placed on top of silver stand, with box of chocolates to the left and a picture of a woman's profile on the front.

Ready for Research: Announcing New Collections and Additional Digital Images

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

The following is a guest post by Helena Zinkham, Chief, Prints & Photographs Division. Our talented teams in the Prints & Photographs Division (P&P) organized and described 250,000 pictures during the past year. The processing teams completed several new collections for you to enjoy from a distance or examine in person, and digitization staff added some …