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Archive: November 2014 (6 Posts)

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Native American Cultures Today: Primary Sources Documenting Music, Law, and Everyday Life

Posted by: Stephen Wesson

Native American cultures are alive and well today, thriving and evolving within cities, rural communities, tribes, and nations across the United States. The online collections of the Library of Congress contain a variety of primary sources that document daily life and creative works in diverse Native American communities from the late twentieth century to the present day.

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

Tangible and Intangible Legacies

Posted by: Stephen Wesson

As our fourth and final blog post this fall related to the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, it seems appropriate that its theme focus on the concept of legacy. What a singer-songwriter leaves behind, from recordings, to manuscripts, to lyrics, can be thought of as their tangible legacies. The impact of his or her work, the connections listeners and concert goers make to the music, and the emotions the music inspires--these are some of the intangible legacies.

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

Storytelling and Songwriting: Making Connections through Primary Sources

Posted by: Stephen Wesson

In July 2014, when Librarian of Congress James H. Billington announced that Billy Joel would receive the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, he described Joel as being, "a storyteller of the highest order." Talented songwriters can be great storytellers! Not only do their songs often include elements of a short story, but they do so in ways that listeners can easily imagine and relate to.